A plot by suspected al Qaeda supporters to carry out a bomb attack in London has been linked to a computer specialist in Canada charged with terrorist offences. Mohammad Momin Khawaja, 29, who is of Pakistani descent, has been charged with conspiring to carry out a terrorist attack in London and the Canadian capital Ottawa. He was arrested in Ottawa on Monday by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who searched his home for bombs. Relatives said that the Canadian-born man had recently visited London to see relatives. Khawaja was arrested in Canada 12 hours before the 6.30am raids in Britain. He was charged on Tuesday with participating in or contributing to the activities of a terrorist group and facilitating terrorist activity. Khawaja's father has written a number of books critical of American foreign policy and of western influence on Middle East politics since coming to Canada more than 30 years ago from Pakistan.
| Ummm... But that's not the reason Momin was arrested, is it? So why bring it up? Or do they pay you by the word at NZ Herald? |
Khawaja was remanded in custody until Friday. The charges state that between 10 November 2003, and 29 March this year, Mr Khawaja "did knowingly participate in or contribute to, directly or indirectly, an activity of a terrorist group, for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity" in Ottawa and London. He is also accused that in the same period and in those same cities, he "did knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity".
| So he wasn't arrested because Pop wrote a book critical of U.S. policy. Pop wrote a book critical of U.S. policy because he's head of a terror family. That would kinda sorta throw the arguments in the book under suspicion, wouldn't it? |
Khawaja was arrested during an operation that included armed police at the Canadian government's department of foreign affairs where he was doing private work as a software developer. Qasim Khawaja, 26, the suspect's brother said the police searched bombs and bomb-making material at their house. "The door was blown open and guys with masks and guns came in, told us to get down on the ground," he said. Two other brothers, Tanzeel, 20, and Mohsan, 18, were arrested, but released. Their mother, Azra, and a sister, Sabeen, 27, were questioned. Khawaja's father, Dr Mahboob A Khawaja, the director of a polytechnical institute in Saudi Arabia, is the author of a book about Islamic fundamentalism "Muslims and the West". He has written academic essays on conflict resolution in which he accuses the West of decrying Islamic fundamentalism without attempting to understand it. Dr Khawaja said his son's arrest was "nothing more than a hoax to create embarrassment."
| Was that before the Soddies arrested him? |
|