Toronto Terror Plot Mastermind Granted Full Parole

Zakaria Amara, identified as the mastermind behind the 'Toronto 18' terrorist plot, has been granted full parole by the Parole Board of Canada. Amara, now 41, was the chief organizer of a plan to bomb three government buildings in Toronto, a plot that was thwarted by a large police investigation in 2006.

Amara pleaded guilty in 2009 to charges including organizing a terrorist training camp and plotting to construct a bomb. He was sentenced to nine years for the camp and life with no parole for 10 years for the bomb plot. His sentence appeal was denied in 2010.

The parole board's written decision, obtained by the Canadian Press, stated that Amara no longer shows "any signs of holding onto extremist beliefs or radical ideologies." The board noted his reintegration into society during a period of day parole, citing a positive change in his attitude and behavior. His ideological shift was documented around 2014, leading to his transfer to a minimum-security prison.

The board acknowledged Amara's efforts over the past four years in the community to distance himself from extremist ideologies and associates. He has been released under conditions that include prohibitions on communicating with individuals involved in criminal activity or those with extremist views. He is permitted to live in his own home, attend mosque, see family, and work full-time, but must continue counseling, adhere to financial monitoring, and has restrictions on phone and internet use.

The 'Toronto 18' case was considered Canada's first large-scale homegrown terrorist plot. The investigation involved a significant police raid in 2006. An informant for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) infiltrated the group and testified that the plot targeted the Toronto Stock Exchange Tower, CSIS Headquarters, and a military base. Amara had reportedly sought help in purchasing ammonium nitrate, a component used in the Oklahoma City bombing, and planned to add metal chips to his bombs to maximize damage. Prosecutors had compared the potential outcome of the plot to a "Canadian 9/11."

During his 2009 sentencing, Amara read a letter expressing remorse and accepting his fate. He recounted an ironic meeting with an inmate whose brothers worked in the Exchange Towers, which he said made him feel "pathetic" and "foolish." He vowed to become a better man, hoping to one day be accepted back into society.

In 2018, Global News reported on a Facebook account in Amara's name that circulated photos of him behind bars. He was initially held in a maximum-security prison following his arrest in 2006. He was granted day parole in 2022, a conditional release within a supervised residential facility, before being granted full parole on Friday.