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| Canada terror plot suspects due in court over attempt to derail train | Canada terror plot suspects due in court over attempt to derail train |
| (17 days later) | |
| Two men were expected to appear in court in Toronto on Tuesday charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from "al-Qaida elements" in Iran, according to Canadian police. | Two men were expected to appear in court in Toronto on Tuesday charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from "al-Qaida elements" in Iran, according to Canadian police. |
| Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, who live in Montreal and Toronto, were planning to derail a Via Rail passenger train in Toronto but posed no immediate threat, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted police (RCMP). | Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, who live in Montreal and Toronto, were planning to derail a Via Rail passenger train in Toronto but posed no immediate threat, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted police (RCMP). |
| "This is the first-known al-Qaida-planned attack that we've experienced in Canada," said Superintendent Doug Best. | "This is the first-known al-Qaida-planned attack that we've experienced in Canada," said Superintendent Doug Best. |
| RCMP assistant commissioner James Malizia said the two men had direction and guidance from "al-Qaida elements located in Iran", though there was no reason to think the planned attacks were state-sponsored. | RCMP assistant commissioner James Malizia said the two men had direction and guidance from "al-Qaida elements located in Iran", though there was no reason to think the planned attacks were state-sponsored. |
| Iran issued an angry denial of any links with the alleged terror plot. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters that there is "no firm evidence" of any Iranian involvement and groups such as al-Qaida have "no compatibility with Iran in both political and ideological fields." | Iran issued an angry denial of any links with the alleged terror plot. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters that there is "no firm evidence" of any Iranian involvement and groups such as al-Qaida have "no compatibility with Iran in both political and ideological fields." |
| He called the Canadian claims part of hostile policies against Tehran, and accused Canada of indirectly aiding al-Qaida by joining Western support for Syrian rebels. Some Islamic militant factions, claiming allegiance to al-Qaida, have joined forces seeking to topple the regime of Bashar Assad, one of Iran's main allies in the region. | He called the Canadian claims part of hostile policies against Tehran, and accused Canada of indirectly aiding al-Qaida by joining Western support for Syrian rebels. Some Islamic militant factions, claiming allegiance to al-Qaida, have joined forces seeking to topple the regime of Bashar Assad, one of Iran's main allies in the region. |
| "The same (al-Qaida) current is killing people in Syria while enjoying Canada's support," said Mehmanparast. | "The same (al-Qaida) current is killing people in Syria while enjoying Canada's support," said Mehmanparast. |
| In a separate comment, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi called the claim by Canadian authorities "the most ridiculous fake words." | In a separate comment, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi called the claim by Canadian authorities "the most ridiculous fake words." |
| "I hope Canadian officials resort to more wisdom," he said. | "I hope Canadian officials resort to more wisdom," he said. |
| Police said the men did not get financial support from al-Qaida, but declined to provide further details. | Police said the men did not get financial support from al-Qaida, but declined to provide further details. |
| "It was definitely in the planning stage but not imminent," the RCMP chief superintendent, Jennifer Strachan, said. "We are alleging that these two individuals took steps and conducted activities to initiate a terrorist attack. They watched trains and railways." | "It was definitely in the planning stage but not imminent," the RCMP chief superintendent, Jennifer Strachan, said. "We are alleging that these two individuals took steps and conducted activities to initiate a terrorist attack. They watched trains and railways." |
| Strachan said they were targeting a railway, but did not say if it was a cross-border route. | Strachan said they were targeting a railway, but did not say if it was a cross-border route. |
| A spokeswoman for the University of Sherbrooke in Montreal said Esseghaier, reported to be from Tunisia, studied there in 2008-09. More recently, he had been doing doctoral research at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, a spokeswoman at the training university confirmed. | A spokeswoman for the University of Sherbrooke in Montreal said Esseghaier, reported to be from Tunisia, studied there in 2008-09. More recently, he had been doing doctoral research at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, a spokeswoman at the training university confirmed. |
| Canadian press reported that Esseghaier was threatened with expulsion for his disruptive behaviour and strict religious views that alienated his colleagues. | Canadian press reported that Esseghaier was threatened with expulsion for his disruptive behaviour and strict religious views that alienated his colleagues. |
| Raed Jaser is reported to be a Palestinian with citizenship in the United Arab Emirates, who has permanent resident status in Canada. | Raed Jaser is reported to be a Palestinian with citizenship in the United Arab Emirates, who has permanent resident status in Canada. |
| This is the first time Canadian police have laid charges related to an al-Qaida-supported attack on Canadian soil. Neither man is a Canadian citizen | This is the first time Canadian police have laid charges related to an al-Qaida-supported attack on Canadian soil. Neither man is a Canadian citizen |
| The two suspects were expected to appear at a bail hearing in a Toronto court. They were arrested in Toronto and Montreal as part of a major national security investigation called Project Smooth, which was initiated in August 2012. | The two suspects were expected to appear at a bail hearing in a Toronto court. They were arrested in Toronto and Montreal as part of a major national security investigation called Project Smooth, which was initiated in August 2012. |
| The attack was thwarted by a cross-border joint task force between Canadian police, the intelligence branch, the FBI and US department of homeland security. | The attack was thwarted by a cross-border joint task force between Canadian police, the intelligence branch, the FBI and US department of homeland security. |
| Via Rail tweeted on Monday that thanks to unprecedented co-operation between law enforcement and security units of various departments "at no time was there an imminent threat to the public". | Via Rail tweeted on Monday that thanks to unprecedented co-operation between law enforcement and security units of various departments "at no time was there an imminent threat to the public". |
| Law enforcement officials said the terror suspects had no connection to the Tsarnaev brothers, who are suspected of last week's Boston Marathon bombings, nor to the high school friends from London, Ontario who joined al-Qaida in the Maghreb and died in a bloody shootout in January after taking hostages at the In Amenas gas complex in Algeria. | Law enforcement officials said the terror suspects had no connection to the Tsarnaev brothers, who are suspected of last week's Boston Marathon bombings, nor to the high school friends from London, Ontario who joined al-Qaida in the Maghreb and died in a bloody shootout in January after taking hostages at the In Amenas gas complex in Algeria. |
| Al-Qaida's relationship with Iran's government is unclear but has been fractious in the past. However, Bruce Riedel, a CIA veteran who is now a Brookings Institution senior fellow, said al-Qaida has had a clandestine presence in Iran since at least 2001 and that neither the terror group nor Tehran speak openly about it. | Al-Qaida's relationship with Iran's government is unclear but has been fractious in the past. However, Bruce Riedel, a CIA veteran who is now a Brookings Institution senior fellow, said al-Qaida has had a clandestine presence in Iran since at least 2001 and that neither the terror group nor Tehran speak openly about it. |
| "The Iranian regime kept some of these elements under house arrest," he told Associated Press. "Some probably operate covertly. Al-Qaida members often transit Iran travelling between hideouts in Pakistan and Iraq." | "The Iranian regime kept some of these elements under house arrest," he told Associated Press. "Some probably operate covertly. Al-Qaida members often transit Iran travelling between hideouts in Pakistan and Iraq." |
| Canada severed diplomatic relations with Iran, closed its Tehran embassy and expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada in September 2012 with Canada's foreign minister, John Baird, calling Iran "the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today". | Canada severed diplomatic relations with Iran, closed its Tehran embassy and expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada in September 2012 with Canada's foreign minister, John Baird, calling Iran "the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today". |
| Security sources told the Canadian broadcaster CBC that the alleged plot was potentially more dangerous than the bombings and hostage-takings planned by the so-called Toronto 18 in 2006, a home-grown plot to set off bombs outside Toronto's stock exchange, a building housing Canada's spy agency and a military base. Their goal was to push Canada into withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. | Security sources told the Canadian broadcaster CBC that the alleged plot was potentially more dangerous than the bombings and hostage-takings planned by the so-called Toronto 18 in 2006, a home-grown plot to set off bombs outside Toronto's stock exchange, a building housing Canada's spy agency and a military base. Their goal was to push Canada into withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. |
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