OTTAWA (AFP) — The first person to be tried in Canada for terrorism undeniably wanted to wage jihad in Afghanistan, but never aimed to bomb civilians in Britain as prosecutors allege, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Accused Momin Khawaja trained to become a "frontline jihad soldier" to fight alongside Islamists against Western forces in Afghanistan, his defense lawyer Lawrence Greenspon said in court, citing "ample evidence."
He acknowledged that his client designed a remote detonator to set off explosives, but insisted it was for use against soldiers in Afghanistan, not for a bomb to be used by his alleged co-conspirators in Britain.
"There is no direct evidence that Momin Khawaja had any knowledge of the London fertilizer bomb plot," Greenspon told the judge, who is hearing the case without a jury.
And although the London plotters had frequent contact with Khawaja, they never told him of their plans to mount attacks in Britain, he said. "They kept their information close and they didn't share it."
Greenspon's arguments in the final phase of Khawaja's trial were in support of a motion asking for the charges against the 29-year-old software developer to be dropped on the grounds that the evidence does not substantiate the allegations.
If allowed, Khawaja could be set free.
Khawaja faces seven charges under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act, including building a bomb detonator, financing terrorism, signing up for terrorism training, and allowing terrorists to stay at a family home in Pakistan.
Five of his alleged co-conspirators were convicted in Britain in 2007 of plotting to bomb a British nightclub, shopping centre and gas and electrical facilities.
Khawaja has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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