Toronto 18 leader sentenced to 16 years

[Shwa]

This from the Toronto Star:

Toronto 18 leader sentenced to 16 years

And an interesting quote:

Dawson recognized Ahmad was 21 when he organized terrorist camps and recruited others for plans of mass murder.

“Perhaps his emergence from youth to adulthood has caused his fervor to soften,” Dawson said. “One thing is clear: I am not dealing with someone who remains openly defiant and who blatantly continues to advocate the rightfulness of his past ideas and actions. Only time will tell whether Ahmad has truly renounced his former views.”

In sentencing him, Dawson took into account that Ahmad has now denounced his hatred of non-Muslims and ideological views of justifying terrorist acts on a religious and political basis.

Dawson also noted how Ahmad’s actions cause great harm to the Muslim community. He said the vast majority of Muslims are peaceful and law abiding people, who participate and contribute substantially to Canada's success.

Can these views be re-habbed into mainstream western viewpoints?

[Keepitsimple]

16 years - sounds tough........but.....he was given the old 2 for 1 for time served leaving a lttle over 7 years to serve and he'll be eligible for parole in three and a half years.

[Smallc]

I thought we did away with 2 for 1 credit? Or is that only for cases started after the law received RA?

Edited October 25, 2010 by Smallc

[Moonlight Graham]

16 years - sounds tough........but.....he was given the old 2 for 1 for time served leaving a lttle over 7 years to serve and he'll be eligible for parole in three and a half years.

Tough??? Planning acts of treason and mass terror gets 16 years. Sounds light to me, especially with the 2-for-1 garbage.

[RNG]

I often wonder when a criminal has this amazing epiphany and all of a sudden shows great remorse and conversion to good and on and on, how much was that his lawyer convincing him that doing that kind of a song and dance will greatly reduce his sentence.

[eyeball]

I often wonder when a criminal has this amazing epiphany and all of a sudden shows great remorse and conversion to good and on and on, how much was that his lawyer convincing him that doing that kind of a song and dance will greatly reduce his sentence.

When criminals do is probably at least as important a factor as how many do to a judge. Obviously it must be enough to make the judge in this case conclude that this guy deserves a second chance, which as far as I know, is still an important value that Canadians have invested in our justice system.

In this case the judge must believe he'll be due his first crack at a 2nd chance in 3 and a half years and given the complexities and nuances built into our system sentenced him accordingly. I see no reason not to live with that if he can.