18th Toronto terror suspect nabbed
Canadian Press via Sun Media ^ | 2006-08-04 | Lauren La Rose




TORONTO (CP) - An 18th terror suspect was arrested and charged Thursday in connection with an alleged plot to attack targets in Ontario.
Ibrahim Alkhalel Mohammed Aboud, 19, of Mississauga, Ont., is charged under Section 83.01 of the Criminal Code - which outlines terrorism-related offences - and is to appear in court on Friday. Aboud was arrested at his residence late Thursday afternoon - about two months after the June 2 arrests that put 17 alleged co-conspirators in custody.


Neighbours said they were surprised to see police lurking in their normally quiet townhouse complex for much of the day; some spotted police cruisers as early as 11 a.m.


Roommates Jamie Hildebrand and Kevin McCarthy live a few doors down from Aboud and said they first noticed a police presence around 4:30 p.m.
It was around 6 p.m. that McCarthy saw Aboud led away quietly in handcuffs and into an unmarked police car.


Police then went in the residence and left with plastic cases filled with evidence, Hildebrand said.


"They had a whole CSI crew coming in and out," carrying plastic containers filled with bags, he said.


Both said the family had kept a low profile, which wasn't unusual as many other neighbours were also very private.


"They just keep to themselves, they don't say too much," McCarthy said.
Earlier Thursday, one of Aboud's co-accused appeared in court for a bail hearing and was denied release.


The reasons for the decision to deny bail to 21-year-old Asad Ansari are covered by a sweeping publication ban .


Outside court, Ansari's lawyer Anser Farooq said his client was "devastated" by the ruling.


"The family's pretty disappointed," Farooq said. "They were hoping to get a different result."


Farooq said he will likely seek a bail review before a judge.
"We'll see how it goes," he said.


So far, three of the younger suspects have been released on bail.
The youngest suspect was released after a justice of the peace's decision to deny bail was overturned on review by Justice Gary Trotter - a provincial court judge and an acknowledged expert on bail matters.
Other suspects are still having their cases heard by justices of the peace in Brampton, Ont.