On September 23, 2015, Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier were sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in a jihad terror plot to derail a passenger train that travels between New York City and Ontario. Throughout the trial proceedings, Esseghaier remained defiant, insisting that only the Qur’an, not a Canadian court, could judge him and screaming Qur’an verses at the jury. He wrote a statement to the jury explaining, “I required the Holy Qur’an as unique reference of my trial and the judgement of all matter of people’s life.” He exhorted jury members to exonerate him and convert to Islam: “I encourage you to retreat from the charge that has been affected to you as a first step of your sincere repentance to God.”
This jihad plot was a long time in preparation. According to Canadian officials, this bloodthirsty and unrepentant jihadi had gone to Iran within two years of beginning to plan the jihad plot, to which his trip was related. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner James Malizia said that Esseghaier and Jaser had been given “support from al Qaeda elements located in Iran.” These elements, he said, also gave them “direction and guidance.” According to American officials involved with the case, al-Qaeda operated out of the Iranian town of Zahedan, near the Iranian borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, passing men and money through Iran.
But now Esseghaier and Jaser will get a new trial, because the jury was supposedly selected improperly. Given that they are in Canada, where the government is so very solicitous of Muslims, they will probably be released and maybe even given a few million dollars in compensation, a la Omar Khadr.
“New trial ordered for men convicted of terrorism in plot to derail train in Niagara’s Jordan Harbour,” Canadian Press, August 27, 2019:
Ontario’s highest court has ordered a new trial for two men found guilty of terrorism charges in connection with a plot to derail a passenger train.
The Court of Appeal for Ontario says the jury that convicted Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier was improperly selected, which means its verdict cannot stand.
Jaser and Esseghaier were found guilty in 2015 on a total of eight terror-related charges between them. They were sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole until 2023.
Lawyers for Jaser argued the trial judge mistakenly rejected their client’s request regarding the method of jury selection.
The lawyer appointed to assist Esseghaier, who continues to be self-represented, agreed in written arguments that a new trial must be ordered on that ground.
The law regarding jury selection was in flux during the trial but the appeal court says the approach used by the judge has since been deemed wrong. Several other cases have been overturned due to similar errors in recent years….