OTTAWA — Two men found guilty of terrorism offences argue there is no need to revisit an appeal court’s decision to order a new trial.
In separate legal submissions, Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier are urging the Supreme Court of Canada to reject a federal application for a hearing on the matter.
Jaser and Esseghaier were found guilty in 2015 of terror-related charges arising mainly from an alleged al-Qaida-inspired plot to derail a passenger train travelling between the United States and Canada.
In August last year, the Ontario Court of Appeal ordered a fresh trial for the men on grounds the jury that convicted them was improperly chosen.
Following the decision, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada said it would proceed with a new trial, but noted it had 60 days to decide whether to seek permission to appeal from the Supreme Court.
In a subsequent submission to the high court, federal lawyers said Jaser and Esseghaier were convicted of the most serious terrorism offences in Canadian law after nearly nine months of pre-trial motions and a three-month jury trial.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2020.
The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
