The Toronto Star – July 28, 2011
Ali Dirie, a member of the so-called Toronto 18 terrorist cell who is scheduled to be released from prison this fall has renounced his right to a parole hearing. Dirie was among 18 people named in 2006 for plotting to cause bloodshed and panic in Canada by bombing nuclear power plants and RCMP headquarters and attacking Parliament. The Somali-born Dirie was arrested in 2005 and was already in prison when police moved in on the group in 2006, but he continued to recruit and work for the group while behind bars.
Dirie is scheduled to be released in October. He was scheduled to appear before parole officials in mid-August. Last year Dirie said that while he opposed Canada’s military role in Afghanistan, he had come to realize that a violent response was unnecessary. While he still believed in jihad, he said he favoured a political and peaceful version to get his point across instead of using terrorist acts like blowing up buildings.
