Momin Khawaja
Mohammad Momin Khawaja (born April 14, 1979, Ottawa) is a Canadian found guilty of involvement in a plot to plant fertilizer bombs in the United Kingdom; while working as a software engineer under contract to the Foreign Affairs department in 2004 became the first person charged and found guilty under the Canadian Anti-Terrorism Act following the proof that he communicated with British Islamists plotting a bomb attack.[1] On March 12, 2009, Khawaja was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison and was eligible for parole five years into the prison term.[2] On December 17, 2010, Khawaja's sentence was increased to life imprisonment by the Ontario Court of Appeals.[3]
Personal life
Born to Pakistani immigrants Azra and Mahboob who had moved to Canada in 1967, Khawaja lived in Saudi Arabia with his family from the ages of 9-14 before moving back to Ottawa, where he attended Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School and graduated in January 1998.
Following graduation, he entered a 3-year computer program at Algonquin College, and became more religious and began teaching youth at the Cumberland mosque. His April 2001 graduation led to a placement in the Gatineau office of HRDC.[4]
In January 2002, Khawaja took a 3-month trip to stay with his uncle in Pakistan while looking for a potential wife. It was later alleged that this trip had been meant to join the Taliban.[5] Upon returning unsuccessful, he took a job as a contracted software operator for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Terrorist activities
In summer 2003, the 24-year old Khawaja began visiting paintball and pellet gun ranges with friends, signing in at the desk with pseudonyms. One friend, Younes Lasfar, got Khawaja to store two rifles and some ammunition at his house, and Khawaja complies, storing them under his bed.[4] In July, he is alleged to have attended a four-day training camp in Pakistan's FATA region, along with Omar Khyam.[6]
In October, Khawaja flew to Pakistan, and is alleged to have met with Khyam who gave him a medical kit, invisible ink set, cell phone SIM cards and cash, which he allegedly brought to Abu Munthir in Pakistan.[7]
On October 19, Khawaja sent an email to Mohammed Junaid Babar, stating; “I will start on the remote devices thing right away and will let u know once we have it ready for testing and i find some of the things for testing. Urea, nitro phosphate, anything else we need?”.[7]
During this time, Khawaja also began corresponding with Zeba Khan after reading her articles on the internet, and arranged to once again travel to Pakistan to meet her, going out to dinner with her and Babar. On October 29, Khan announced that she was engaged to Khawaja, though later the couple decide to cancel the marriage but remain friends.[4]
Prosecutors allege that the following month, the British-based group and Khawaja began discussing potential explosives to be used in the service of "jihad".[6]
On February 20, 2004, Khawaja travelled to London and was picked up at the airport by two men, including Khayam.
Arrest, Trial and Sentencing
Khawaja was arrested on March 29, 2004, while his father was teaching at a university in Saudi Arabia, as part of a month-long sting operation entitled Operation Awaken that saw eight others, all of Pakistani heritage, arrested.[8][9][10]
Ultimately five were convicted in London courts, and two were acquitted, while Babar agreed to testify against the others in exchange for full immunity for himself.[5][7] Khawaja's ex-fiancée testified by videolink from Dubai.[11]
The initial two charges against Khawaja were boosted to seven counts, following Babar's telling of events, and a publication ban prevented the media from reporting on details revealed during legal hearings.[12]
Represented by attorney Lawrence Greenspon,[5] Khawaja was told to expect a direct indictment leading to a trial beginning in 2006.[12]
The trial began on June 23, 2008, heard by Superior Court judge Douglas Rutherford, in front of prosecutor David McKercher.[1] He was charged with helping to develop bomb detonators, possession of explosives, helping to finance terrorist activity, receiving terrorist training and facilitating terrorism.[7] He had pleaded not guilty on all charges, and the case was being heard without a jury.[13] On October 29, 2008, he was found guilty on all charges by Justice Rutherford.[14] On March 12, 2009, at his sentencing hearing, Justice Rutherford sentenced Khawaja to 10.5 years on top of the five years already served.[2] Khawaja would be eligible for parole in five years. The Canadian Government appealed the sentencing, asking for a longer sentence.[15] [16] The appeal was won and the court responded by giving Khawaja a life sentence.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 CBC, Khawaja 'directly involved' in British bomb plot: prosecutor, June 23, 2008
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 , Khawaja sentenced to 10½ years in prison. March 12, 2009
- ↑ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/908672--appeal-court-hikes-sentences-for-terror-convictions
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 CBC: The Fifth Estate - The Canadian
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Toronto Star, Accused made bomb detonator, Crown says, June 24, 2008
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Brennan, Richard. Toronto Star, Khawaja excited by guns and rockets, court hears, June 24, 2008
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Brennan, Richard. Toronto Star, "Bomb details emailed, court told, June 28, 2008
- ↑ CBC News In Depth: Canadian security
- ↑ Ottawa Citizen, "Ottawa Muslims held in global terror sweep", March 30, 2004
- ↑ Khawaja, Mahboob. "Canadian Terror: A Tragedy Of Ignorance", June 26, 2004
- ↑ CBC, , June 22, 2008
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Toronto Star, "Ottawa man faces new terrorism charges", December 22, 2005
- ↑ Convicting Khawaja on basis of rhetoric would reward 9-11 terrorists: defence. September 12, 2008.
- ↑ CBC, Khawaja found guilty in terrorism trial, October 29, 2008
- ↑ CBC, Crown appeals Khawaja's sentence, seeking longer prison term, April 14, 2009
- ↑ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/908672--appeal-court-hikes-sentences-for-terror-convictions
