news Crown to appeal Khawaja terror sentence

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Crown to appeal Khawaja terror sentence


56 minutes ago




By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA - The Crown says it plans to appeal the 10 1/2-year sentence given to convicted terrorist Momin Khawaja.
In a terse release Tuesday, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada announced it will seek leave to appeal to the Ontario Court of Appeal. The Crown had sought a life sentence for Khawaja - the first person sentenced under Canada's anti-terrorism law. Khawaja has already said he's asking the court to overturn his conviction.
He was convicted of five charges of financing and facilitating terrorism for training at a remote camp in Pakistan and providing cash to a group of British terrorists.
He was also found guilty of two Criminal Code offences - but not terrorism provisions - related to building a remote-control device to set off explosions.
Justice Douglas Rutherford of Ontario Superior Court called Khawaja "a willing and eager participant" in jihadist schemes aimed at sowing mayhem.
However, the Crown failed to prove Khawaja knew the electronic trigger, known as the HiFi Digimonster, would apparently be used to detonate fertilizer bombs in the London area.
Khawaja, a 30-year-old Ottawa software developer, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was tried by judge alone last year.
Five associates, including ringleader Omar Khyam, were convicted in London and sentenced to life in prison.
Khawaja was the first to be charged - and the first sentenced - under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act, passed after the 9-11 attacks on the United States.