Fahim Ahmad
Encyclopedia
Fahim Ahmad is one of people convicted in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case
. He was a ringleader in the group. He was 21 years old at the time of arrest, and married with two children.
with fellow suspects Saad Khalid
and Zakaria Amara
. Friends suggest that he made statements supporting the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
Ahmad was unemployed and reportedly handed out self-burned CDs of the as-Sahab
video detailing the lives of the 9/11 hijackers at the Salaheddin Islamic Centre
in Toronto.
Ahmad had been under surveillance since 2002, when the 17-year old's internet usage demonstrated that he was in contact with "jihadists in Alberta
."
In 2004, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS) noticed that he had joined Clearguidance.com a year earlier, an "anti-Western" website on which he logged 754 posts.
Among his posts were statements like:
When moderator Salmaan Ziauddin resigned from the website, CSIS approached him several times, asking about specific members of the website, including Ahmad and Zakaria Amara
. Ahmad's wife, Mariya, was a student at the University of Toronto
and went by the online moniker "Zawjatu Faheem"
; however he apparently grew disenchanted with Ahmad’s lack of action and broke away. Ahmad’s group became the Scarborough group and Amara’s became the Mississauga group. The widely reported goal of “beheading politicians” originated with Ahmad’s group.
In March 2005, Americans Ehsanul Sadequee
and Syed Haris Ahmed traveled to Toronto
together aboard a Greyhound
bus, to meet with Ahmad, Jahmaal James
and another youth, whom they had spoken to online about their mutual interpretations about Islam and jihad. While the group discussed hypothetical scenarios in which North America was attacked, the government noted there was "no imminent danger".
Police informant Mubin Shaikh
later stated that he believed the two Americans had been asking whether they would be able to hide in Canada if they were to carry out attacks in the United States. Shaikh later stated that Ahmad had told him that "if CSIS ever came to my door," he would shoot them, imitating a gun with his fingers
.
Ahmad organized a training camp
in December 2005 and held a second camp the following spring. He also sought a safe house
in northern Ontario to use as a hideout. Ahmad claimed to have ordered a shipment of weaponry from Mexico.
.
Imam
Aly Hindy
, referring to the four suspects who attended Salaheddin Islamic Centre
, said that Ahmad was the only one who might be guilty of a crime, although not terrorism, for his role in renting a car that Ali Dirie and Yasim Mohamed used to smuggle two pistols across the border.
A year and a half after his arrest, Ahmad said he remained "baffled" why the government thought there was a terrorist plot, and was "still waiting for the government to produce a snippet of credible evidence".
and Asad Ansari
, and all pleaded not guilty at the beginning of the trial. The jury heard that he had been a ringleader in a group having held two training camps in 2005. The idea of attacking parliament and beheading politicians was attributed to Ahmad. The court also accused him of plotting to attack nuclear stations and power grids. Police agent Mubin Shaikh
testified as to the extremist content of the camps and Ahmad's intent and leadership. On May 10, 2010, in mid-trial, jurors learned that Ahmad had changed his plea to guilty.
On October 25, 2010, Ahmad was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with double credit for the four years he had already spent in custody. This was the first terrorism case in Canada to be decided by a jury.
2006 Toronto terrorism case
The 2006 Ontario terrorism case refers to the plotting of a series of attacks against targets in Southern Ontario, Canada, and the June 2, 2006, counter-terrorism raids in and around the Greater Toronto Area that resulted in the arrest of 18 people found to be Al-Qaeda members of an Islamic...
. He was a ringleader in the group. He was 21 years old at the time of arrest, and married with two children.
Life
Fahim Ahmad was born in Afghanistan and immigrated to Aurangabad at age 10. He was attending Meadowvale Secondary SchoolMeadowvale Secondary School
Meadowvale Secondary School is a part of the Peel District School Board in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.The school's staff are focused on preparing the students for university, college and the workplace. With a large student population, encouraging student engagement is a critical goal...
with fellow suspects Saad Khalid
Saad Khalid
A 19-year old University of Toronto student, Saad Khalid was one of 17 people detained and arrested on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in the Greater Toronto Area in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests....
and Zakaria Amara
Zakaria Amara
Zakaria Amara is one of 17 people detained on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He was convicted for planning to have launched terrorist attacks against targets in southern Ontario and was believed to be one of the ringleaders.The text...
. Friends suggest that he made statements supporting the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
Ahmad was unemployed and reportedly handed out self-burned CDs of the as-Sahab
As-Sahab
The As-Sahab Foundation for Islamic Media Publication , is the media production house of al-Qaeda, used to relay the organization's views to the world...
video detailing the lives of the 9/11 hijackers at the Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Located in Scarborough, Ontario Salaheddin Islamic Centre is a Canadian mosque noted for its outspoken Imam Aly Hindy and a number of its other members...
in Toronto.
Ahmad had been under surveillance since 2002, when the 17-year old's internet usage demonstrated that he was in contact with "jihadists in Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
."
In 2004, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS) noticed that he had joined Clearguidance.com a year earlier, an "anti-Western" website on which he logged 754 posts.
Among his posts were statements like:
"Parents' anti-jihad/anti-'religiousness' talks are starting to effect [...] come on bros, i need some jihad talks, anything! its like so dead my sources for videos is no more either, [...] i know u guys can hook me up."
"Nowadays, for the most part, parents don't practice their [religion] much to begin with, and when a kid says, 'o mommy, daddy, i want to fight for ALLAH' automatically they say "NO! U WILL GO TO SCHOOL AND HAVE A FUTURE."
When moderator Salmaan Ziauddin resigned from the website, CSIS approached him several times, asking about specific members of the website, including Ahmad and Zakaria Amara
Zakaria Amara
Zakaria Amara is one of 17 people detained on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He was convicted for planning to have launched terrorist attacks against targets in southern Ontario and was believed to be one of the ringleaders.The text...
. Ahmad's wife, Mariya, was a student at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and went by the online moniker "Zawjatu Faheem"
Terrorist activities
Fahim Ahmad has been described by law enforcement and the police as the primary ringleader in the plot and a spiritual leader among the men. His original “second in command” was Zakaria AmaraZakaria Amara
Zakaria Amara is one of 17 people detained on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He was convicted for planning to have launched terrorist attacks against targets in southern Ontario and was believed to be one of the ringleaders.The text...
; however he apparently grew disenchanted with Ahmad’s lack of action and broke away. Ahmad’s group became the Scarborough group and Amara’s became the Mississauga group. The widely reported goal of “beheading politicians” originated with Ahmad’s group.
In March 2005, Americans Ehsanul Sadequee
Ehsanul Sadequee
Born in Fairfax, Virginia on July 30, 1986, Ehsanul "Shifa" Sadequee is an American who was arrested by the FBI on four terrorism charges, convicted, and sentenced to 17 years in prison, to be followed by 30 years of supervised release.-Life:...
and Syed Haris Ahmed traveled to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
together aboard a Greyhound
Greyhound
The Greyhound is a breed of sighthound that has been primarily bred for coursing game and racing, and the breed has also recently seen a resurgence in its popularity as a pedigree show dog and family pet. It is a gentle and intelligent breed...
bus, to meet with Ahmad, Jahmaal James
Jahmaal James
Jahmaal James is one of 17 people detained on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He and the others arrested are alleged to have plotted coordinated bombing attacks against targets in southern Ontario....
and another youth, whom they had spoken to online about their mutual interpretations about Islam and jihad. While the group discussed hypothetical scenarios in which North America was attacked, the government noted there was "no imminent danger".
Police informant Mubin Shaikh
Mubin Shaikh
Mubin Shaikh was one of two informants for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in the 2006 Toronto Terrorism case, and moved on to become a paid Royal Canadian Mounted Police agent...
later stated that he believed the two Americans had been asking whether they would be able to hide in Canada if they were to carry out attacks in the United States. Shaikh later stated that Ahmad had told him that "if CSIS ever came to my door," he would shoot them, imitating a gun with his fingers
Finger gun
The finger gun is a hand gesture in which the subject uses their hand to mimic a handgun, raising their thumb above their fist to act as a hammer, and one or two fingers extended perpendicular to it acting as a barrel...
.
Ahmad organized a training camp
Terrorist training camp
A terrorist training camp is a training camp whose purpose is to teach students methods of terrorism. Terrorists train there to launch attacks, ranging from suicide bombing practice to field combat. They are often located in regions for the aims of those conducting the training, or in traditional...
in December 2005 and held a second camp the following spring. He also sought a safe house
Safe house
In the jargon of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a safe house is a secure location, suitable for hiding witnesses, agents or other persons perceived as being in danger...
in northern Ontario to use as a hideout. Ahmad claimed to have ordered a shipment of weaponry from Mexico.
Arrest
Ahmad was arrested on June 2, 2006. He was charged with receiving and providing terrorist training, and intent to harm or kill with explosives. He is being represented by attorney Dennis EdneyDennis Edney
Originally from Dundee, Scotland, Dennis Edney is a Canadian defence attorney based in Edmonton, Alberta noted for his involvement in high-profile cases, including Brian Mills, R. v...
.
Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Aly Hindy
Aly Hindy
Aly Hindy is the current Imam of the Salaheddin Islamic Centre in Scarborough, Canada, notable for his alleged connections to militant and fundamentalist elements, as well as his defence of Canadians accused of terrorism....
, referring to the four suspects who attended Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Located in Scarborough, Ontario Salaheddin Islamic Centre is a Canadian mosque noted for its outspoken Imam Aly Hindy and a number of its other members...
, said that Ahmad was the only one who might be guilty of a crime, although not terrorism, for his role in renting a car that Ali Dirie and Yasim Mohamed used to smuggle two pistols across the border.
A year and a half after his arrest, Ahmad said he remained "baffled" why the government thought there was a terrorist plot, and was "still waiting for the government to produce a snippet of credible evidence".
Trial and guilty plea
Ahmad was tried simultaneously with Steven ChandSteven Vikash Chand
Steven Vikash Chand is one of 17 people arrested in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He and his conspirators are alleged to have plotted coordinated bombing attacks against targets in southern Ontario.-Life:...
and Asad Ansari
Asad Ansari
Asad Ansari is one of 18 people accused and detained on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the Toronto terrorism arrests....
, and all pleaded not guilty at the beginning of the trial. The jury heard that he had been a ringleader in a group having held two training camps in 2005. The idea of attacking parliament and beheading politicians was attributed to Ahmad. The court also accused him of plotting to attack nuclear stations and power grids. Police agent Mubin Shaikh
Mubin Shaikh
Mubin Shaikh was one of two informants for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in the 2006 Toronto Terrorism case, and moved on to become a paid Royal Canadian Mounted Police agent...
testified as to the extremist content of the camps and Ahmad's intent and leadership. On May 10, 2010, in mid-trial, jurors learned that Ahmad had changed his plea to guilty.
On October 25, 2010, Ahmad was sentenced to 16 years in prison, with double credit for the four years he had already spent in custody. This was the first terrorism case in Canada to be decided by a jury.