Canada Ping!
Posted on 06/03/2013 6:42:46 PM PDT by Squawk 8888
TORONTO -- A terror suspect charged in an alleged plot to attack a Via Rail passenger train is having difficulty finding a lawyer who will try convincing a court to judge him against the Qur'an.
Chiheb Esseghaier appeared in a Toronto court via video link on Monday to discuss his attempts to find legal aid representation -- a process which has so far been unsuccessful due to the specific and unusual demands he has made.
"I want that the lawyer help me to change the reference of my case from the laws used by humans to the laws of the holy book," he told the court. "I cannot take a lawyer who is not able to fulfill my need."
When asked by the presiding justice of peace if he fully understood the proceedings, Esseghaier, who was wearing an orange jumpsuit and sported a full beard, said he did.
As the Crown prosecutor told the court the last potential lawyer offered to Esseghaier had been unable to represent him based on his demands, the Montreal man repeatedly asked to be allowed to comment.
"It's not me I refuse the last lawyer," an adamant Esseghaier said.
"He write on a piece of paper, he write and he sign that he is not able to convince the court to change the reference of my case from the Criminal Code to the holy Qur'an.
"He said to me I am not able to fulfil your need, so what I can do? I cannot accept him."
Esseghaier's comments on Monday echoed previous statements in which he's said he doesn't recognize the secular authority of the Criminal Code in judging him.
The 30-year-old Tunisian national was told to continue his search for a lawyer and will next appear in Toronto court via video on June 25.
That's the same day his co-accused, Raed Jaser, a 35-year-old Toronto resident, is set to appear again in court, also via video.
Esseghaier and Jaser were arrested in April and face several terrorism related charges in what police allege was a plot guided by al-Qaida in Iran to attack a Via train that runs between Toronto and New York City. Police stressed at the time of the arrests that there was no imminent threat to the public.
Both Esseghaier and Jaser, a Palestinian, are charged with conspiracy to murder for the benefit of a terrorist group, participating in a terrorist group and conspiring to interfere with transportation facilities for the benefit of a terrorist group. Esseghaier faces an additional count of instructing someone to carry out an activity for the benefit of a terrorist group.
If convicted, they could be sentenced to life in prison.
Jaser's lawyer has denied the allegations against his client.
A third man named Ahmed Abassi is facing terrorism charges in the U.S. and prosecutors allege he had "radicalized" Esseghaier.
They also say Abassi did not support the alleged Via Rail plot and was pushing for a different plan that would contaminate the air or water with bacteria and kill up to 100,000 people.
Esseghaier is a biotechnology expert who was performing doctoral studies on nanosensors at a Montreal-area university.
The Tunisian Embassy in Ottawa has said he arrived in Canada in August 2008 and called him a "brilliant PhD student."
Canada Ping!
My goodness...in this country lawyers would be falling all over themselves to do that.Looks like Canadian lawyers have a far deeper sense of morality than do ours.
You have to admit he's got a valid argument.
Shows that western teaching does not over rule death cult indoctrination. Should be a real reality check with immigration. Every single Muslim not a citizen should be immediately deported. The Citizen types should be confined to mental hospitals for the duration of the war with Islam.
The war with Islam is over when they surrender and tear down every mosque. Until then, it is a fight to the death with psychopathic liars, nothing less.
Henceforth if arrested, I demand to be judged under the authority of Toontown in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
With Jessica as my DA.
It is my right.
Wait I thought Islam was the religion of peace.
Should be easy if that were true.
Of course his whole charade has nothing to do with his defense, but has to do with the civilization jihad’s attempts to institute sharia law in place of Canadian Law.
Surely, there must be muslim lawyers who are licensed to practice law in Canada, just as there are muslim doctors who are licensed to practice medicine. Sounds like he can’t even find one of those lawyers who will agree to his demands — which shows just how loony he really is.
If he wanted to be tried by Sharia law he should have committed his crimes in a moslem country.
What is there in the Koran about passenger trains?
Which is what they come here to do, because they could’ve stayed where they were if they just wanted to live under shariaa. They want the rest of us to live under it too.
The Religion of Peace, but not for humans.
Damn. Here in the US, Barry Dunham would represent him..!
great movie!
...a bit like a neo-Nazi accused of firebombing a black church demanding to be tried on the basis of the what Hilter wrote in Mein Kampf, eh?
Nice bunnies too ;)
The Koran is not the law.
Simple as that.
And THAT my FRiend is where all our money goes.
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