“Esseghaier, who is unrepresented and has refused to participate in the trial because he believes he should be judged only under the Qur’an.” Why don’t all the moderate Muslim spokesmen in Canada and the U.S. who insist that Islam is a religion of peace go to Esseghaier’s sentencing and explain to the judge that the Qur’an teaches peace and justice, and that Esseghaier is misunderstanding it in thinking it would justify his mass murder plot?
“Via Rail terror trial: Jury finds Esseghaier guilty on 5 counts, Jaser on 3,” by Alyshah Hasham, Toronto Star, March 20, 2015:
Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser both conspired to commit murder in support of terrorism and participated in a terrorist group, a jury has found after 10 days of deliberating.
But only Esseghaier was found guilty for conspiring to derail a Via rail passenger train heading from New York to Toronto – a plan that involved drilling a hole into a railway bridge support under cover of darkness.
The jury remained deadlocked on Jaser’s charge after requesting additional clarification around the law of conspiracy and reviews of testimony during their lengthy deliberations.
“Some of the members of the jury weren’t quite sure that Mr. Jaser agreed to derail the train,” said Crown prosecutor Croft Michaelson of the deadlocked charge in what he described as a legally complex case. He described both men as “real, serious public dangers.”
Jaser was found guilty on three charges, Esseghaier on five.
Both face potential life sentences at an upcoming sentencing hearing.
Michaelson said the Crown will consider whether to prosecute Jaser again on the train plot conspiracy charge.
Jaser pleaded not guilty to all charges, and his lawyer told the jury Jaser never truly agreed to any terrorist plot, he was simply trying to scam money off Esseghaier and an undercover FBI agent.
Esseghaier, who is unrepresented and has refused to participate in the trial because he believes he should be judged only under the Qur’an, not the “man-made” Criminal Code, had a not-guilty plea placed on the record for him by Justice Michael Code….