Since the initial arrests, the Crown has dropped or stayed charges against seven of them.
The lawyers for the defense , claim this is little more then fantasy talk, while the crown, of course, contends it was a massive terror plot.
But, lets look at the numerous news reports on the trial.
The Crown's first witness was RCMP Cpl. John Mecher of the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team. He testified about pieces of evidence and where they were seized, including a pistol, one 9-mm pistol seized from a Toronto home. Shell casings , found near the "camp" which some of the accused attended. That means some didn't.
The defendants lawyer asked Becher a number of questions with regard to intended targets and evidence.
First:
Why no warnings , to the intended targets, regarding this threat, were ever issued? Good question, one would think if this plot was as serious as has been alleged, a 'heads up' would be in order. But, apparently no warnings were given.
Secondly:
Chernovsky questioned whether police ever seized crates of high-powered assault rifles and explosives, which one of the alleged ringleaders "boasted" about having ordered.
"All I can say is we did not seize anything along those lines," said Mecher
They had not seized any high powered rifles, in fact the only gun they had seized was the one 9mm gun.
Third:
Mecher was questioned about the location of a safehouse in Opasatika, a rural town near Timmins.
"He was going to attack Canada from 10 hours north of Toronto?" asked Chernovsky, pointing out the scheme would have involved tunnelling through the Canadian Shield – to access the house.
To which the response was:
"I can't explain his rationale or lack thereof," said Mecher.
(Tunneling through the Canadian Shield?????)
Mr. Chernovsky asked Cpl. Mecher if the officers surveying the camp heard any "yelling of terrorist chants and death of the infidels?"To which Cpl. Mecher responded:
they did not.(no shouts of terrorist chants, while being indoctrinated?)
Additional evidence presented were photos of electronics, a crazy carpet type toboggan, which the crown alleges was part of an "obstacle course" at the training camp.
Ok, about the crazy carpet for an obstacle course training. Crazy carpet type toboggans in my opinion, based on my experience, have no maneuverability.They slide out from under you if you try to change course and leave you and your buttocks in the snow, sans crazy carpet. For an obstacle course, they would seem to be pretty useless.
In all the articles I did read, all this evidence presented at this ongoing trial is not related directly to the person who is actually on trial??? I thought this was the whole point of evidence at the trial of the accused?
Toronto Star "Although none of the evidence related to the alleged plot involves the youth"
On Monday, the crowns' star witness and undercover operative Mubin Shaik will take the stand