Another member of the so-called “Toronto 18” conspiracy has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges – and is about to be let go. Jahmaal James, 26, entered a surprise guilty plea in a Brampton court. Because he spent three years and nine months awaiting trial – and got a two-for-on-credit for the “dead time” – he has effectively served all the seven-year, seven-month sentence he was meted. He was sentenced to one more day.
James was arrested in 2006, as police rounded up 18 young Muslims in the Toronto area. Most of those arrested have now been found guilty of involvement in terrorism, for either attending a amateurish Toronto training camp, or for plotting to blow up military and government targets around Toronto. The scheme aimed to force a withdrawal of Canadian Forces soldiers from Afghanistan.
James faced unique charges. It was alleged that, in 2005 and at the behest of other members of the Toronto conspiracy, he travelled to Pakistan in hopes of taking terrorist training with the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group (the same group suspected of perpetrating the Mumbai Massacre in 2008). But in the end, James did not actually get to take any training in Pakistan, as he was unable to link up with any terrorist trainers. James plead guilty to participating in a terrorist group for his involvement with the other Toronto suspects.
