Second mole in Toronto terrorism case
Encyclopedia
A prominent Egyptian-Canadian Muslim, Shaher Elsohemy was paid $4 million dollars by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
for his role in infiltrating the alleged terrorist plot in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case
, although some have claimed he acted as an agent provocateur
, their claim failed in court.
He was given legal immunity to "knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity" and asked to help the accused acquire credit card
s and purchase explosives. After the arrests, he was subsequently placed in witness protection
for his safety.
graduate studied and spent much of his early life in Cairo, Egypt, but returned to Canada in 2000 and started a five-year career as a flight attendant
for Air Canada
.
Described as a man who "loved the good life", he once took a friend on a one-day trip to Poland simply because they wanted to try eating duck properly. Another time, he began describing his favourite restaurant to a friend and decided to take him on a one-day trip to South America
to eat at the restaurant.
He left his job to open his own catering
business, which closed the following year. Changing his direction, he opened a new businesses, setting up a travel agency
].
(CSIS) — with whom he was asked to volunteer as an informant
— to set up a meeting between himself and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
. He told the police agency that he was willing to infiltrate the group they were monitoring. Negotiations started at $15 million. It is believed that his help "stopping the terrorist act, would be worthy of that amount".
The RCMP negotiated with him for six hours but were unable to convince him to help them for any less than $13.4 million, and at 10pm, they agreed to schedule a meeting the following day to continue their negotiation. The RCMP refused to meet his demands and the meeting ended still without resolution, although an internal memo stated that the police force had better agree to meet his price or else he might "become hostile as a witness, difficult to control and seek other avenues to be compensated". At their final meeting, the police agreed they would pay him an award of $500,000 although the cost of relocation and protection was estimated at 4.1 million.
He was given legal immunity to "knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity" and asked to help the accused acquire credit card
s and purchase ammonium nitrate from disguised police officers, and to facilitate the storage of the explosive fertilizer in a Newmarket
warehouse. He was given $2000 by Shareef Abdelhaleem
as an alleged downpayment to purchase the explosives since he had an agricultural engineering degree.
A month later, both intelligence and police units co-operated to stage a series of raids across the Greater Toronto Area
, arresting 16 young men and an older man alleged to have acted as their ringleader. By April 2008, seven of the alleged terrorists, including the alleged ringleader, were released after the Crown
suggested there was no evidence they had planned anything themselves.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for his role in infiltrating the alleged terrorist plot in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case
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...
, although some have claimed he acted as an agent provocateur
Agent provocateur
Traditionally, an agent provocateur is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act...
, their claim failed in court.
He was given legal immunity to "knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity" and asked to help the accused acquire credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
s and purchase explosives. After the arrests, he was subsequently placed in witness protection
Witness protection
Witness protection is protection of a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during and after a trial, usually by police...
for his safety.
Life
The Agricultural engineeringAgricultural engineering
Agricultural engineering is the engineering discipline that applies engineering science and technology to agricultural production and processing...
graduate studied and spent much of his early life in Cairo, Egypt, but returned to Canada in 2000 and started a five-year career as a flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
for Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
.
Described as a man who "loved the good life", he once took a friend on a one-day trip to Poland simply because they wanted to try eating duck properly. Another time, he began describing his favourite restaurant to a friend and decided to take him on a one-day trip to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
to eat at the restaurant.
He left his job to open his own catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
business, which closed the following year. Changing his direction, he opened a new businesses, setting up a travel agency
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
].
Role in the plot
On April 29 2006, the man was asked by the Canadian Security Intelligence ServiceCanadian 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) — with whom he was asked to volunteer as an informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
— to set up a meeting between himself and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
. He told the police agency that he was willing to infiltrate the group they were monitoring. Negotiations started at $15 million. It is believed that his help "stopping the terrorist act, would be worthy of that amount".
The RCMP negotiated with him for six hours but were unable to convince him to help them for any less than $13.4 million, and at 10pm, they agreed to schedule a meeting the following day to continue their negotiation. The RCMP refused to meet his demands and the meeting ended still without resolution, although an internal memo stated that the police force had better agree to meet his price or else he might "become hostile as a witness, difficult to control and seek other avenues to be compensated". At their final meeting, the police agreed they would pay him an award of $500,000 although the cost of relocation and protection was estimated at 4.1 million.
He was given legal immunity to "knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity" and asked to help the accused acquire credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
s and purchase ammonium nitrate from disguised police officers, and to facilitate the storage of the explosive fertilizer in a Newmarket
Newmarket, Ontario
Newmarket is a town in Southern Ontario located approximately 50 km north of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area and is connected to Toronto by freeway, and is served by three interchanges along Highway 404. It is also connected to Highway 400 via Highway 9...
warehouse. He was given $2000 by Shareef Abdelhaleem
Shareef Abdelhaleem
A database engineer, Muhammad Shareef Abdelhaleem is one of 17 people initially arrested in the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests. He is alleged to have plotted coordinated bombing attacks against targets in southern Ontario.-Life:...
as an alleged downpayment to purchase the explosives since he had an agricultural engineering degree.
A month later, both intelligence and police units co-operated to stage a series of raids across 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...
, arresting 16 young men and an older man alleged to have acted as their ringleader. By April 2008, seven of the alleged terrorists, including the alleged ringleader, were released after the Crown
Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutors are the public prosecutors in the legal system of Australia.Crown Prosecutors represent the Crown in right of the Commonwealth and in right of each State or Territory in criminal proceedings. Crown Prosecutors are appointed not elected and not public servants; they are private...
suggested there was no evidence they had planned anything themselves.