Where the Boston plot seems to indicate a lone wolf operation largely without the cooperation of a foreign based support cell. (any evidence to the contrary probably died with Tamerlan Tsarnaev). The same can't be said about the Canadian plot .
Canadian police linked the plot to destroy a Toronto passenger train to an AQ network inside Iran.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner James Malizia said that the two suspects, identified as Chiheb Esseghaier, of Montreal, and Raed Jaser, of Toronto, received "support from al Qaeda elements located in Iran" in the form of "direction and guidance." [notice how Canadian authorities did not hesitate to use the word ‘terrorist’ ]
Esseghaier is a doctoral student at the Institut National de la Recherché Scientifique... has a bachelors degree in Industrial Biology and a masters degree in Industrial Biotechnology. According to his Linkedin page ,Nanotechnology is one of his "Skills & Expertise." He is thought to be a Tunisian.His Linkedin page also displayedan image of al Qaeda's black flag. (since removed from the site ) .
Iran denies the links to AQ ,but Iran's ties to al Qaeda are well documented .The US government has added several Iran-based al Qaeda leaders and operatives to its list of global terrorists, and even noted a "secret deal" between the Iranian government and al Qaeda.
In January 2009, the Treasury Department designated senior al Qaeda members operating in Iran ,included Mustafa Hamid,the leader of AQ in Iran .
They described Hamid as "a senior al Qaeda associate who served as a primary interlocutor between al Qaeda and the Government of Iran." During the 1990s, Hamid "reportedly negotiated a secret relationship between Osama Bin Laden and Iran, allowing many al Qaeda members safe transit through Iran to Afghanistan." Hamid also "passed communications between Osama bin Laden and the Government of Iran." In 2001, Hamid negotiated with the Iranians to relocate al Qaeda families to Iranian soil ,including Saif al Adel (Hamid's son in law ). Al Adel is wanted in America for his involvement in the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
OBL's son, Saad bin Laden "facilitated the travel of Osama bin Laden's family members from Afghanistan to Iran" beginning in late 2001. He also "made key decisions for al Qaeda and was part of a small group of al Qaeda members that was involved in managing the terrorist organization from Iran."
So the fact that AQ operates out of Iran is well documented .
The Canadians do not believe that the plot is a state sponsored terror event. But that is a largely irrelevant distinction. They give them safe haven to operate out of their country. That makes them as guilty as the plotters.
Esseghaier has refused to be represented by an attorney.Terror suspect Esseghaier could face a Toronto court on WednesdayQuote:
Esseghaier faces five charges, including of conspiring, between April 1 and Sept. 25, 2012, in Montreal and Toronto, "to interfere with transportation facilities" in Canada "for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a terrorist group."
The pair are also charged with conspiring to "murder persons unknown" at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group.
Both men are charged individually with participating in, or contributing to, a terrorist group activity "for the purpose of enhancing the ability of any terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity."
The last charge in the indictment singles out Esseghaier and alleges that, between Sept. 7 and Dec. 20, 2012, he instructed "directly or indirectly, any person to carry out any activity for the benefit" of a terrorist group.
The plot involved a bombing and derailment as the train travelled over the Niagra River on the Whirpool Rapids Bridge.