WhatFinger


No matter what the excuse, deporting Malik rather than charging him with serious offences is counter to the government’s tough on terrorism platform

Pakistani arrested but not charged in plot to blow up US consulate in Toronto



Although the man was arrested in an alleged terror plot, he has not been charged. The Canadian government is in the process of ordering him deported to his native Pakistan and if that is all there is, so much for the government’s hardline on terrorism.
Jahanzeb Malik, 33, was arrested on Monday after a six-month investigation. Malik, who came to Canada as a student in 2004, later married a Canadian and became a permanent resident. He first came to the attention of the authorities on April 3, 2013 when he landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Malik told Canada Border Security Agency (CBSA) agents he had been out of the country teaching in Libya. He told the same story to the Canadian Security Intelligence Agency (CSIS). They didn’t believe him. Malik worked as a flooring contractor and the investigation began in September when an undercover officer contacted him about having hardwood flooring installed in his home. The two became friends and according to the officer, the truth about Malik’s past and present plans were revealed. Although he was not charged with a terrorism offence, the CBSA began deportation proceedings on the grounds he is a permanent resident of Canada who poses a threat to Canada’s security. Malik appeared before an official of the Immigration and Refugee Board via video link on Wednesday for a detention review. The evidence against the Pakistani national was presented at that hearing.

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It is alleged Malik told the officer he was sympathetic to both al Qaeda and the Islamic State. He admitted he had gone to Libya, not to teach but to take terrorist training and he wanted to engage in jihad. He further said those who died while engaging in jihad were martyrs. It is further alleged he told the officer he had known the late terrorist Anwar Al-Awlaki and told the officer he should watch Al-Awlaki’s videos. Malik then showed the officer some ISIS beheading videos. It is then alleged Malik attempted to get the undercover officer to build explosive devices that could be set off remotely. Malik’s intention was to bomb some buildings in Toronto’s financial district as well as the American consulate. If the authorities were going to charge Malik criminally they would have done so already and the deportation proceedings would not have been commenced until his trial and sentence, if any, had been completed. Malik’s lawyer, Anser Farooq, said the allegations are serious and if he did what they said he did why not try him and if he’s guilty, jail him for life. Although lawyers in general and those who defend alleged terrorists is particular are usually frowned upon, Farooq makes an excellent point. The government have not said why they are not bringing criminal charges for terrorism against Malik. Intelligence expert, David B. Harris believes it could be one of several reasons why the government is merely settling to deport Malik. One reason is that prosecutors do not believe they have sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. The other is that the Public Safety ministry believes that sensitive information will have to be revealed in order to proceed to trial and that would do more damage in the long run. It is also speculated the authorities do not want to risk exposing the identity of the undercover officer because there are so few undercover law enforcement officers that are capable of doing this specific type of work. At a terror trial currently in the hands of a Toronto jury, great lengths were taken to limit the identity of the undercover officer. No matter what the excuse, deporting Malik rather than charging him with serious offences is counter to the government’s tough on terrorism platform. If the CBSA is successful in these proceedings, Malik will suffer the same fate as a 70-year-old grandmother who comes to Canada as a visitor, overstays her visa to be with her grandchildren, and then is discovered and sent back to Pakistan. These two cases are hardly identical. If and when Malik is sent back to his native country he will have to remain there, at least long enough to take a refresher course in terrorism and until his new false passport is ready. At least one thing that happened this week made sense. At his detention review on Wednesday, the IRB member ordered his detention to continue.


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Arthur Weinreb -- Bio and Archives

Arthur Weinreb is an author, columnist and Associate Editor of Canada Free Press. Arthur’s latest book, Ford Nation: Why hundreds of thousands of Torontonians supported their conservative crack-smoking mayor is available at Amazon. Racism and the Death of Trayvon Martin is also available at Smashwords. His work has appeared on Newsmax.com,  Drudge Report, Foxnews.com.

Older articles (2007) by Arthur Weinreb


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