The 17 suspects arrested in Toronto one year ago today for allegedly belonging to an al- Qaeda-inspired terrorist cell were part of a larger group of almost 50 that were under investigation, sources say.
A year after the RCMP led Canada's largest counter-terrorism bust since the 9/11 attacks, the National Post has learned that almost two-thirds of the suspects probed during the investigation were not charged.
They include those who were believed to have trained overseas and provided supplies to the group but who were not among the 12 adults and five youths arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act on June 2, 2006.
The fate of the suspects who were targeted, but not charged, is not known.
The RCMP's top counter-terrorism officer said in an interview this week that while the investigation into the 17 has concluded, police continue to examine their associates.
"We're still watching the periphery of the file, if you will, and where all the associations go," said Assistant Commissioner Mike McDonell, adding the probe would continue "until we're 100 per cent satisfied."
Asked what had happened to the two-thirds of suspects not charged, he said: "That would be part of the continuing investigation. ? Some would be written off, some wouldn't. You just keep going. ? You require enough evidence to get them before a court. There has to be a reasonable expectation of conviction or we don't arrest them.
Here's what I wrote one year ago. That plot
began in Internet chat rooms and the investigation extended to the US and UK.
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