Saturday, September 26, 2015

Canada sentences terrorist, strips citizenship and will deport him after his sentence is complete

(CBC) The federal government has sent letters to at least five people linked to extremist activity, including the man thought to be the mastermind of a plot to bomb downtown Toronto in an effort to terrorize Canadians and cripple the economy, telling them their citizenship is being revoked, CBC News has learned.

Zakaria Amara is among three members of the so-called Toronto 18 — the other two are Asad Ansari and Saad Khalid — who were informed by letter they were being stripped of citizenship under Bill C-24, dubbed the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, passed last May.

Two others not linked to the Toronto 18, but who have received letters, are:
  • Mohamed Hersi, convicted of trying to join the Somalia-based extremist group al-Shabaab. Hersi's lawyer, Paul Slansky, confirmed his client received the letter. 
  • Hiva Mohamme Alizadeh, convicted in an Ottawa in a terror plot.
CBC News is working to confirm reports that others linked to extremist activity have received similar letters.


Recipients of a notice of citizenship revocation were given 60 days to respond to it.

Amara was sentenced in 2010 to life in prison with no chance of parole until 2016 after admitting his role in the plan to attack sites in Toronto, aimed in part at forcing Canadian soldiers to leave Afghanistan. His citizenship has already been revoked, after receiving the letter in June.

Ansari was released with time served in 2010 for his role in the Toronto 18 plot. He was convicted of knowingly contributing to, directly or indirectly, a terrorist group for the purpose of enhancing the ability of the group to carry out an act of terror.

Khalid is still serving time for intending to cause an explosion that would likely cause serious bodily harm, death or damage to property.

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