Posted on 03/31/2006 7:56:27 AM PST by Clive
NEWMARKET -- Two local taxi drivers, one with alleged terrorist links and the other facing outstanding charges in the U.S., were nabbed two weeks ago outside a modest townhome here, neighbours and co-workers say.
But the secrecy and mystery surrounding the arrests of alleged al-Qaida captain Raja Ghulam Mustafa and his brother-in-law Syed Maqsood Aly continued last night when Syed's wife tried to distance herself from both men.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Sun learned last night that Mustafa entered Canada about 18 months ago using the fake name of Raja Ghulam Murtaza and obtained refugee status.
When first approached by the Sun at 176 Banbrooke Cres., where she lived with her husband, Syed, and Mustafa, a woman who identified herself as Nuzrat Sheikh claimed that she had not seen Syed since she separated from him in Pakistan five years ago and barely knew Mustafa and had not seen him in a year.
Sheikh made these claims despite having three of Syed's children in the house who, neighbours say, are a 5-year-old girl and 3-year-old twins, a boy and girl.
NOTHING TO SAY
Neighbours also confirmed that two men who lived at the house -- whom they identified as the husband and brother-in-law -- have not been seen since a small fleet of unmarked cruisers descended on the house in the middle of March Break.
The manager of the taxi company where both men worked for the past year also confirmed last night that immigration officers came to his Newmarket office two weeks ago looking for Mustafa and Aly and he directed them to the Banbrooke Cres. home.
When confronted about the contradictions, a nervous and frightened Sheikh said: "I'm sorry I don't have anything to say" and then shut the door.
A Today's Taxi minivan, which was driven by one of the men for the past year, was parked in the townhome driveway.
'STRANGE PEOPLE'
Neighbours expressed shock when told of allegations that Mustafa was a captain with the al-Qaida linked and Pakistan-based Mujahdeen-E-Lashkar-E-Tayyba (LET) terrorist group and Syed is wanted in the U.S. for drug trafficking and fraud.
The alleged links with terror are "scary," said Nancy Penaranda, who lives in a nearby townhouse.
Penaranda described her neighbours as "very, very strange people" who "don't talk much."
Today's Taxi manager Mahar Fawagers said last night he does not believe the two men -- who worked for the company as independent drivers -- have terrorist or criminal links.
"I think all that happened is that their work permits expired or something," he said.
"None of that (supposed links with al-Qaida) is true ... not at all ... it's a domestic problem ... it's not al-Qaida or anything like that," Fawagers said.
He was stunned at the allegations, given that the pair obtained municipal taxi driver licences from Newmarket and Stouffville officials that require security checks.
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Double-Plus Good!
Why not?
Maybe because he hadn't seen 'em at the meetings.
Today's Taxi manager Mahar Fawagers said last night he does not believe the two men -- who worked for the company as independent drivers -- have terrorist or criminal links. "I think all that happened is that their work permits expired or something," he said.
Mahar, you just made the list.
I think you're right!
Just driving the taxi cabs that Canadian's don't want to drive.
I had to say that for the first time since I got here on FR:)
Seems like there is always a job driving cab for a terrorist sympathiser. In Australia a cabbie has just been sentenced to five years for accepting funds from Al Qaeda.
I take it that it wasn't just a good tip?
;-)
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