Surprise guilty plea in Toronto 18 terror trial
posted at 1:34 pm on May 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The cases of the Toronto 18 have not made many headlines of late, but that changed today. Saad Khalid, one of the 13 adults originally charged with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, suddenly changed his plea to guilty in court Monday. The news took some time to emerge as the judge imposed a media ban on the proceedings in order to protect the other nine defendants still charged with the crime (via Newsbeat1):
When Saad Khalid, one of the notorious and now-shrunken group once known as the Toronto 18, this week abruptly pleaded guilty to participating in a terrorist plot to build and detonate bombs in the country’s largest city, it should have been obvious that this was a matter of enormous public importance. …
In the intervening almost three years, as the wheels of justice ground – barely – forward, young Mr. Khalid was not only de facto proclaiming his innocence by his participation in the process, but also was properly presumed to be innocent.
Indeed, in the mainstream press and on the Internet, there were many Canadians, commentators and private citizens both, who asserted the innocence of all the accused men in the most vigorous manner possible. A sophisticated Toronto 18 website and a “Presumption of Innocence Project” sprang up, and supporters even organized occasional solidarity rallies at the Brampton courthouse.
Yet when in the face of all this, Mr. Khalid stood before Superior Court Judge Bruce Durno on Monday afternoon to suddenly enter a guilty plea – a shocking turnaround whereby after all the motions and proceedings that had gone on before, he was effectively saying, “Oh by the way, I did do it” – the matter already had been placed under a temporary publication ban by Judge Durno.
I have some experience with these media gag orders, and I think they’re silly and counterproductive. A guilty plea is a legitimate public interest story, and Canadians had a right to know that one of these little dears actually did intend to carry out terrorist attacks against key targets. The gag rule implies that Canadians aren’t bright enough to serve on a jury and make decisions based on the law and the evidence rather than what they read in the newspapers.
I also have some experience with the clueless knee-jerk support movements that spring up to act as apologists for terrorists. Rather than waiting to see the evidence for themselves, a tiny fringe of people don’t just give the defendants a presumption of innocence but start accusing the government of plots, frame-ups, and political prosecutions based on bigotry or partisanship. We saw that here in Minnesota when Kathleen Soliah got arrested and prosecuted for her acts of domestic terrorism. As with the Toronto 18 (now 11), Soliah’s supporters quickly disappeared from public view when Soliah not only pled guilty to the initial charges of bomb-planting, but then subsequently pled guilty to robbery and murder in Oakland.
Contrary to popular thought, the Toronto 18 plot was substantial. Khalid admitted to receiving terrorist training before organizing the plot. He also apparently admitted to having truck bombings in the works at several locations. This runs counter to the press treatment at the time that the Toronto 18 were nothing more than just kids acting out.
Khalid was the second of the remaining plotters to get convicted. Nine more will stand trial, and hopefully the Canadian media will be allowed to do their jobs at that time.
Blowback
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And this guy is a Radical Christian, correct?
carbon_footprint on May 6, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Did they use torture to make him flip?
Knucklehead on May 6, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Was he in the military? Did he attend a Tea Party?
We must get to the bottom of this! What could possibly be driving these people?!?
mankai on May 6, 2009 at 1:38 PM
I think that possibly he is a Norwegian Lutheran.
Vashta.Nerada on May 6, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Friggin’ Quakers!
CurtZHP on May 6, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Is he on that list with Michael Savage?
Brat on May 6, 2009 at 1:40 PM
Damned Presbyterians.
Guy is a Presbyterian, right?
Maybe a Methodist?
PimFortuynsGhost on May 6, 2009 at 1:42 PM
Oh, hold it Khalid…Hindu or Sikh, correct?
.
PimFortuynsGhost on May 6, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Alternate title for the “sophisticated” website: Death Wish 2009
mankai on May 6, 2009 at 1:45 PM
My first thought was Amish. You know how racist the Amish are…..
:)
mjk on May 6, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Clearly this guy is buddhist. You can tell by the blood thirsty desire to kill. That happens quite often with buddhists.
sonofdy on May 6, 2009 at 1:45 PM
What did America do now, we must have committed a crime somewhere to force this poor soul into
terrorismfreedom fighting.Bishop on May 6, 2009 at 1:46 PM
WICCA!!!
This guy is a WITCH!!!!
BURN HIM!!!!
sonofdy on May 6, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Definitely Pentecostal.
bluelightbrigade on May 6, 2009 at 1:47 PM
They probably put panties on his head to make him confess.
bluelightbrigade on May 6, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I think that possibly he is a Norwegian Lutheran.
Vashta.Nerada on May 6, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Bullshiite, Norwegians only try to slaughter Danes.
I’m thinking the guy is a Jainist, a religion known for violent, bloody excesses through history which rival the genocides of the Mongols.
Bishop on May 6, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Thanks to Capt. Ed for (once again) doing the job the Canuck media is not permitted/can’t be bothered to do.
landshark on May 6, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Meanwhile,back at Team Homeland Secruity,Napolitano
calls up Canada,and says,
you’ve made a grave error,its the RightWingers!(Sarc).
canopfor on May 6, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Made him read Dave Rywall and getalife comments on HA. He caved, “just send me to jail, no more Drywalling me!”
kirkill on May 6, 2009 at 1:53 PM
For all you speculating about Saad Khalid’s background, please use logic. When push came to shove, he gave up. So, although I have no idea about his religion, he’s obviously French.
Loxodonta on May 6, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Drywalling has been considered torture in 105 countries.
carbon_footprint on May 6, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Can’t let the truth come out that shows there are actual people who are evil who want to kill us now can we?
Defector01 on May 6, 2009 at 1:55 PM
What type of mustard does he like on his hamburgers……?
Seven Percent Solution on May 6, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Lundeby said the USA Patriot Act stripped her son of his due process rights.
“We have no rights under the Patriot Act to even defend them, because the Patriot Act basically supersedes the Constitution,” she said. “It wasn’t intended to drag your barely 16-year-old, 120-pound son out in the middle of the night on a charge that we can’t even defend.”
I’ve posted this the last couple of days and it’s been filtered out and not allowed to be posted. I think it’s important enough for Hot Air to take a look at.
True_King on May 6, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Is he on Napolitano’s right wing extremist list?
DL13 on May 6, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Southern Baptist! They’re the racists ones, and you really have to keep your eye on the Southern Baptists who’ve been in the military. Especially the ones who listen to Toby Keith.
rbj on May 6, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Is he on Napolitano’s right wing extremist list?
DL13 on May 6,2009 at 1:56PM.
DL13: That,is an excellent question!:)
canopfor on May 6, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Winner!
BobMbx on May 6, 2009 at 2:01 PM
The guy who shot and killed all those woman university students about 10 years ago was also a muslim. However, the press and the msm did a great job on not reporting that aspect of the crime.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 2:04 PM
Come on, the Left still maintains the innocence of Mumia Abu-Jamal. They won’t be deterred by this guilty plea.
rockmom on May 6, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Heh.
ladyingray on May 6, 2009 at 2:11 PM
ROFLMAO!!! I choked on my sandwich, when I read that!!! LOL
capejasmine on May 6, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Blame Canada! ….say’s Nappy.
christene on May 6, 2009 at 2:15 PM
He answered wrong, in the Miss Toronto pageant.
capejasmine on May 6, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Khalid better watch out, if he testifies against the other Muslim terrorists they might charge him with hate speech. It is Canada, ya know.
29Victor on May 6, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Anybody know how much time these people might/will serve? How long will it be before they’re out and at it again? I can’t find anything on the net.
All I’m reading is that Saad Khalid’s lawyer is saying his role was not that “significant,” so he should receive a reduced sentence. Hello! What is going on up there?
Loxodonta on May 6, 2009 at 2:22 PM
The guy who shot and killed all those woman university students about 10 years ago was also a muslim. However, the press and the msm did a great job on not reporting that aspect of the crime.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 2:04 PM
—
Mark Lepine (nee Gamil Rodrigue Gharbi)?
1. It was 20 years ago
2. He was a baptized Roman Catholic
3. He was a crazya ss misogynist. His murder spree had nothing to do with terrorism or destroying the west or Islam.
Keep reading your rightie blogs.
Next.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 2:27 PM
No worries. If Obama has his way, we’ll catch up to this lunacy in no time.
capejasmine on May 6, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Some unexpected diversity for Toronto, lucky them.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Presumably as part of his guilty plea he’s going to be testifying for the prosecution, right? (As part of a trade to get his sentence lowered.) So the jury’s going to find out he pled guilty, regardless.
The judge is just a power hungry ass.
Greg Q on May 6, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Dave Rywall
Gharbi killed the women in Montreal to show the world that women should not be educated. A very Islamic theme indeed. His father was a good Muslim and beat Gharbi and his mother faithfully as a good Muslim often does. Tards like yourself are really pathetic with your cover for your Islamic friends and allies.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Youths.
Shy Guy on May 6, 2009 at 2:45 PM
You mean like these fringe guys?
http://muslimmatters.org/2008/03/25/unfair-dealing-the-toronto-homegrown-terror-threat/
or these guys
http://toronto18.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=1
or this
http://www.presumptionofinnocence.ca/
Is that who you mean, the fringe elements?
awake on May 6, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Guily plea requires allocution. That means he has to enumerate and describe his acts.
dogsoldier on May 6, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Dave Rywall
Gharbi killed the women in Montreal to show the world that women should not be educated. A very Islamic theme indeed. His father was a good Muslim and beat Gharbi and his mother faithfully as a good Muslim often does. Tards like yourself are really pathetic with your cover for your Islamic friends and allies.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 2:43 PM
———
Dear dumb a ss:
Nice try.
Parents separated when he was 7.
Rarely saw his father after that. Lived with friends, family and his mother.
Changed his name because he hated his father so much.
Bye bye now.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 2:52 PM
Truth is more than a nice try tard.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Truth is more than a nice try tard.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 2:53 PM
——-
Facts. You should try them.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Spare us your lefty b.s. He reverted back to his fundamentalist islamic roots. Even grew one of those straggley-ass islamic beards.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:06 PM
My grandson went through the same thing, except of course turning to terrorism.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM
Dave Rywall
Have I presented non facts? What do you think was the source of his hatred for women? His fathers viewpoint perhaps? Just because Womens groups and anti gun twats hijacked the event for their own agendas do not change the backstory.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM
Spare us your lefty b.s. He reverted back to his fundamentalist islamic roots. Even grew one of those straggley-ass islamic beards.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:06 PM
——–
Dear Lord of the Idiots:
First of all there is no left or right in this discussion.
Lepine was not raised Muslim, hence there are no roots to fall back upon.
But WAIT – you made the incredible observation that he had a beard. Well that makes your case absolutely bulletproof. Congratulations on winning the internet. We should shut it down now.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Hey BL@CKBIRD! Have you been able to access Harry’s Place? I can’t find any mention that the site is down and why.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM
My grandson went through the same thing, except of course turning to terrorism.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM
——
Do you have the remotest clue about the Ecole Polytechnique massacre?
Go read Lepine’s suicide note.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Are you saying that he is not a muslim? Proof.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:19 PM
I never mentioned said massacre. Read the post.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:22 PM
And 54 of the 57 states!
Oldnuke on May 6, 2009 at 3:26 PM
I never mentioned said massacre. Read the post.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:22 PM
–
No, but you were responding to me, and I was talking about the Montreal massacre. And your response inferred that Lepine was a terrorist, when in fact he was just another as*hole woman hater who went off the deep end.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Are you saying that he is not a muslim? Proof.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:19 PM
—
yeah sure go read these or find the microfiche or buy the book or something
Weston, Greg; and Aubin, Jack (1990-02-07). “The making of a massacre: The Marc Lepine story Part I”. The Ottawa Citizen.
Chun, Wendy Hui Kyong (1999). “Unbearable Witness: towards a Politics of Listening”. Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies 11 (1): 112–149.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Yes, jackass. I also remember what was reported at the time which has since been whitewashed.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:33 PM
Yes, jackass. I also remember what was reported at the time which has since been whitewashed.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:33 PM
——
Whitewashed by whom? Whitewashed how? Up here the story is dredged up every year on the anniversary and the story hasn’t changed in 20 years.
If it doesn’t fit your panicked post 9/11 mentality then that’s just too bad now, isn’t it.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Blake
Harry’s Place yesterday said I was restricted from use of the server, today the address comes up but only with a white screen. I was wondering what was up myself. Thought I was banned for shining a little light on Islam.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Dave Rywall is right on this one. The guy was just a nutcase. spit spit hack hack…
Now was this the shooting the orginal poster was talking about? women killed about 10 years ago covers alot of ground.
sonofdy on May 6, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Uh, Lepine was a terrorist. Duh!
You can argue about his background/reasons all you want, but he did kill people for a cause!
Not advocating either side, just that he WAS a terrorist!
Pomme143 on May 6, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Whitewashed by you twits who are afraid to mention the fact that almost all the world’s terrorism has a common denominator: muslims. With any luck your idiotic mentality and dhimmihood will get you offed one day.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:48 PM
One more time. My grandson went through the same travails, except of course turning to terrorism.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Whitewashed by you twits who are afraid to mention the fact that almost all the world’s terrorism has a common denominator: muslims. With any luck your idiotic mentality and dhimmihood will get you offed one day.
Blake on May 6, 2009 at 3:48 PM
——
Captain Internet:
I never refuted that nor am I afraid to state that today Muslims commit more acts of terrorism than any other stupid religious or political group in the world.
You’re backpedaling in a soggy attempt to rewrite history about a story that happened 20 years ago in another country, the facts of which you don’t appear to have much grasp of.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 4:04 PM
One more time. My grandson went through the same travails, except of course turning to terrorism.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 3:50 PM
——
If you want to call a nutbar’s crusade to kill women simply because they’re women terrorism, then go with it.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Dave
It took place twenty years ago and it took 15 years for the Muslim background story to emerge. Why? It did not square with the “deranged white man with a rifle suppressing feminists” tale that womens and anti gun groups needed to hijack this slaughter with for their own agendas. It was just a year or two later when “young female Engineering students” was dropped and “young feminists” replaced it.
In hindsight, it is obvious that Islam is the root of Gharbi’s madness/rational. I don’t doubt you can not see that.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 4:09 PM
ter·ror·ism (těr’ə-rĭz’əm)
n. The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.
The man killed women to prove they shouldn’t be allowed to do things. That fits the definition perfectly.
Why are you so against calling him a terrorist? I’m not claiming he’s Muslim. Or that all terrorists are Muslim. Cause they’re not. He proves it, if you are correct.
He was a terrorist!
Pomme143 on May 6, 2009 at 4:13 PM
My comment was in reference to the perceived excuses for said man’s action.
Johan Klaus on May 6, 2009 at 4:17 PM
Dave
It took place twenty years ago and it took 15 years for the Muslim background story to emerge. Why? It did not square with the “deranged white man with a rifle suppressing feminists” tale that womens and anti gun groups needed to hijack this slaughter with for their own agendas. It was just a year or two later when “young female Engineering students” was dropped and “young feminists” replaced it.
In hindsight, it is obvious that Islam is the root of Gharbi’s madness/rational. I don’t doubt you can not see that.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2009 at 4:09 PM
—–
There’s one small problem with your claim:
The suicide note wasn’t made public at the time of the massacre but was leaked a year later, so that’s why Lepine’s targets were called “young female engineering students” first and then “feminists” second – and not because they were necessarily feminists, but because that’s who Lepine’s note said he was out to kill.
So your garbage about the media changing the story from this to that is, well, garbage.
Hey let’s go to Lepine’s suicide note itself:
“Because I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker. ”
The note also listed 19 feminists he wished he could kill:
“Nearly died today. The lack of time (because I started too late) has allowed these radical feminists to survive.”
As for the Muslim backstory, the father’s background certainly was reported at the time of the massacre. Maybe not down there, but it certainly was up here.
Dave Rywall on May 6, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Where did they find Obama’s high school photo?
viking01 on May 6, 2009 at 4:36 PM
You want the Canadian media to do it’s job? Make up some stuff and try to blame Harper and the conservatives for supplying the motive what with them being conservatives and all. Cause that does seem to be their job these days.
Brian Mallard on May 6, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Ordinary citizens can’t be counted on to exhibit the proper empathy for preferred classes of victims, that’s why judges need to step in to see that social justice is done.
Socratease on May 6, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Burning him will only make him stronger, it will unleash the “Force”
DSchoen on May 6, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Good. They nailed him. I think a gag order in this situation is absurd.
AnninCA on May 6, 2009 at 9:33 PM
Khalid was the second of the remaining plotters to get convicted. Nine more will stand trial, and hopefully the Canadian media will be allowed to do their jobs at that time.
The Canadian media could have done their jobs concurrent with this prosecution had they chosen to do so. The Canadian citizenship could have done their job in supporting this prosecution had they chosen to do so.
The fact that neither the Canadian media nor the Canadian citizenship had anything much to say about this prosecution speaks volumes about the Canadian mindset that “we Canadians simply don’t do terrorism, and I’ll have another Molson”.
Quaoar on May 6, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Good thing he was just a terrorist and not a Duke Lacrosse player. The press would have crucified him.
faol on May 7, 2009 at 9:33 AM