Saad Khalid
Encyclopedia
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.
He was involved with a group of people suspected in the planning of coordinated bombing attacks against targets in southern Ontario. He was the first to plead guilty to intent to cause an explosion, while 7 others were acquitted and five others, including a juvenile, were also convicted.
Khalid's guilty plea can be viewed at: http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2009/2009canlii44274/2009canlii44274.html
at the age of 8. He played in the Erin Mills Soccer Club league where he was well liked and the team's top scorer.
He graduated from Meadowvale Secondary School
, where he had started an Islamic Club and led Friday prayers in the lecture hall, which he attended with fellow arrestees Fahim Ahmad
and Zakaria Amara
. He was known among students for lecturing others not to take illegal drugs, or get in fights. It was suggested that he turned to religion after his mother's death.
He enrolled in business school
at the University of Toronto at Mississauga.
were later arrested.
Khalid was arrested in a warehouse alongside one of the five who cannot be named
. The two had been lining cardboard boxes with plastic to store the fertilizer. Khalid had told his parents he was attending a job fair
.
He was denied bail on July 17, 2006 and has since been in solitary confinement.
prohibit all mention in the media of the guilty plea, but were largely unsuccessful. Durno's decision stated that "there has been no finding of guilt or conviction" simply because of the plea.
On September 3, 2009, Khalid was sentenced to 14 years in prison with credit of 7 years for time already served
. He is eligible for parole after serving a third of his sentence since 2009. The Crown has since appealed his sentence.
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...
student, Saad Khalid was one of 17 people detained and arrested on June 2 and June 3, 2006, in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests.
He was involved with a group of people suspected in the planning of coordinated bombing attacks against targets in southern Ontario. He was the first to plead guilty to intent to cause an explosion, while 7 others were acquitted and five others, including a juvenile, were also convicted.
Khalid's guilty plea can be viewed at: http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2009/2009canlii44274/2009canlii44274.html
Life
Khalid was born August 12, 1986 in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents. Khalid moved to Canada with his parents from PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
at the age of 8. He played in the Erin Mills Soccer Club league where he was well liked and the team's top scorer.
He graduated from Meadowvale Secondary School
Meadowvale 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...
, where he had started an Islamic Club and led Friday prayers in the lecture hall, which he attended with fellow arrestees Fahim Ahmad
Fahim Ahmad
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.-Life:...
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...
. He was known among students for lecturing others not to take illegal drugs, or get in fights. It was suggested that he turned to religion after his mother's death.
He enrolled in business school
Business school
A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in Business Administration. It teaches topics such as accounting, administration, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, information systems, marketing, organizational behavior, public relations, strategy, human resource...
at the University of Toronto at Mississauga.
Arrest
Khalid attended the training camp with many of the other arrestees and was had used a video camera in the downtown area for reconnaissance. He rented the warehouse space for the ammonium nitrate where he and Saad GayaYoung offenders in 2006 Toronto terrorism case
Among the 18 arrests during the 2006 Toronto terrorism case were five youths whose names could not be published because of the provisions of Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act...
were later arrested.
Khalid was arrested in a warehouse alongside one of the five who cannot be named
Young offenders in 2006 Toronto terrorism case
Among the 18 arrests during the 2006 Toronto terrorism case were five youths whose names could not be published because of the provisions of Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act...
. The two had been lining cardboard boxes with plastic to store the fertilizer. Khalid had told his parents he was attending a job fair
Job fair
A job fair is also referred commonly as a career fair or career expo. It is a fair or exposition for employers, recruiters and schools to meet with prospective job seekers. Expos usually include company or organization tables or booths where resumes can be collected and business cards can be...
.
He was denied bail on July 17, 2006 and has since been in solitary confinement.
Guilty plea
On May 4, 2009, Khalid pleaded guilty before judge Bruce Durno to a single count of acting "with the intention of causing an explosion or explosions that were likely to cause serious bodily harm or death or damage property". In return, it was expected that charges of participation in a terrorist group and training in furtherance of a terrorist group would be dropped. Lawyers for the other accused members still pending trial sought to have a publication banPublication ban
A publication ban is a court order which prohibits the public or media from disseminating certain details of an otherwise public judicial procedure. In Canada, publication bans are most commonly issued when the safety or reputation of a victim or witness may be hindered by having their identity...
prohibit all mention in the media of the guilty plea, but were largely unsuccessful. Durno's decision stated that "there has been no finding of guilt or conviction" simply because of the plea.
On September 3, 2009, Khalid was sentenced to 14 years in prison with credit of 7 years for time already served
Time served
In criminal law, "time served" describes a sentence where the defendant is credited immediately after the guilty verdict with the time spent in remand awaiting trial. The time is usually subtracted from the sentence, with only the balance being served after the verdict...
. He is eligible for parole after serving a third of his sentence since 2009. The Crown has since appealed his sentence.