Via Rail Terror Suspects Sentenced To Life
In March the pair were found guilty of conspiring to commit murder for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with, a terrorist group.
The Crown was seeking life sentences for both men.
After Ramshaw’s testimony, presiding judge Michael Code ordered a second psychiatric opinion from Dr. Philip Klassen who told the court earlier this month that while he agreed with Ramshaw that Esseghaier suffers from a mental illness, he was nevertheless fit enough to be sentenced. Both parties have 30 days to decide whether to appeal the sentences.
The two were recorded talking about terror plots they would carry out, in retaliation for Canada’s military actions in muslim countries.
Esseghaier and Jaser will be eligible for parole after 10 years.
Throughout the hearings, Esseghaier, who rejected a government-appointed defense attorney, displayed a range of erratic behavior, from shouting his disbelief that it’s the year 2015 to throwing water into the courtroom in protest of the psychiatrists’ lies. Esseghaier was the opposite, preferring the train plot. “He found that they were not remorseful and that there was really no indication of substantial rehabilitation. We have instructions to appeal the conviction as well as the sentence”, he said.
“My overall impressions of Mr. Jaser are that he is intelligent, devious and untrustworthy”, said Code. Essegahier says, leaning out of the box, jabbing his hands in the air.- Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) September 23, 2015 ” Me I will die at the first light of December . 25, 2014″, Esseghaier says.
Jaser was not found guilty of the second count.
Esseghaier has represented himself throughout the trial and steadfastly objected to any court process that does not operate under the laws of the Quran. “It is unprecedented to adjourn a sentencing hearing indefinitely to await treatment”.
During their trial, court heard that an undercover FBI agent gained Jaser and Esseghaier’s trust and surreptitiously recorded their conversations, which made up the bulk of the evidence in the case. In his decision, he said he was skeptical of the schizophrenia diagnosis but found that there was no link between any possible mental illness Esseghaier may suffer from and the offences.
Jaser’s lawyer had argued mitigating factors in his client’s case included entrapment, segregation during pre-trial custody and drug addiction.