ALLEGED TORONTO TRUCK-BOMB CONSPIRACY – Charges stayed against four terrorism suspects – Of 18 originally facing trial, only 11 men remain; prosecutors may have cast too wide a net, some officials say
By COLIN FREEZE
BRAMPTON, ONTARIO – The Crown stayed charges yesterday against four terrorism suspects, including Abdul Qayyum Jamal, the 45-year-old once portrayed as the Svengali figure of the alleged 2006 Toronto truck-bomb conspiracy.
A winnowing process has now reduced the original “Toronto 18″ down to only 11 still facing criminal charges, most of them now in their early 20s.
In response, some freed suspects and their supporters are calling for compensation and public inquiries, suggesting the whole prosecution case will ultimately prove a sham. Others say it’s common for the Crown to fine-tune conspiracy cases ahead of trial.
“The preliminary hearings are the X-rays before the operation,” said defence lawyer Edward Sapiano. His client was one of the four suspects whose charges were stayed yesterday. “This is why we have preliminary hearings.”
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