An RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) informant who helped thwart a domestic terrorist plot said that he feels guilty about the role he played in recruiting four youths to the group.
Mubin Shaikh told a Brampton, ON, court he knew the teens would get caught up in the terrorism investigation as a result. Shaikh conceded that he was instrumental in bringing in one of the teens, who was found guilty last fall of terrorism-related offenses as part of the so-called Toronto 18.
The defense is seeking to stay the proceedings against the youth on the grounds that he was entrapped by the police agent. The youth, who cannot be identified because he was 17 at the time of his offenses, was one of 18 people arrested over the summer of 2006 in connection with the terrorist plot. Three other youths have since had their charges stayed. Ten adults, none of whom by court order can be identified, have yet to stand trial. Shaikh is expected to be the Crown’s main witness in those cases.
