Terror suspect fighting decision to revoke pardon for unrelated crimes

TORONTO – A man accused in an alleged terrorist plot to attack a Via Rail train is going to court to fight a parole board decision to revoke a pardon for unrelated offences.

Federal Court documents show that the Parole Board of Canada decided to revoke Raed Jaser’s pardon in July, two months after he was charged with three terrorism offences.

Jaser’s lawyer, John Norris, says he was granted the pardon in 2009 for uttering threats and fraud convictions from when he was a young man.

The parole board wrote to Jaser, 35, in June saying it was recommending his pardon be revoked on the basis that he was no longer of good conduct, and it finalized the decision on July 30.

Norris is asking the Federal Court to overturn the decision, arguing that revoking Jaser’s pardon when his new criminal charges have not been proven in court is wrong.

Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier, who are accused of plotting to attack a Via train that runs between Toronto and New York City, have a judicial pre-trial set for later this month.