An Ottawa man convicted of terrorism should be imprisoned for life, a Crown prosecutor said Thursday.
“There is no choice but to deal severely with Momin Khawaja and like-minded individuals,” said prosecutor David McKercher. It is “highly questionable” whether he should ever be released from prison, he said.
“There is no indication of remorse whatsoever.”
The Crown is recommending Khawaja receive two life sentences and an additional 44 years in prison. This means no chance of parole for at least 10 years.
On Oct. 29, 2008, the 29-year-old Orleans resident, who worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs, was found guilty of five of seven terrorism-related counts against him. He was the first person charged under Canada’s post-9/11 anti-terrorism legislation.
Khawaja, who built a remote-controlled detonator device called the Hi-Fi Digimonster, was “a central player” in a terrorist plot with targets in the U.K., said McKercher.
“His participation was indistinguishable from the five others who have already been convicted (in the U.K. in 2007),” he said.
“Momin Khawaja is the same person he was five and six years ago,” he said, adding if he got the chance, he would likely do it again.
It is possible his views may change, making him eligible for parole, but for now, he and society must be separated, he said.
The Crown is seeking a DNA order and the forfeiture of the $10,000 in cash, weapons, ammunition, electronics, and literature found at Khawaja’s Orleans home.
The court resumes at 10 a.m. Friday for the final day of submissions.
