BRAMPTON, Ont. - The alleged ringleaders of a suspected terror plot to attack Canadian targets talked about making homemade chemical weapons from a "mujahed cookbook'' and worried about being "sitting ducks'' for police even as they organized a second alleged training camp for recruits, wiretaps played Friday in a courtroom suggested.
The tapes are being played at the trial of the only youth still facing charges as part of a group that police allege made plans to attack a number of Canadian targets, including Parliament Hill. The voice of the now-20-year-old suspect, who cannot be named, doesn't feature prominently on the tapes.
But the hours of wiretapped conversations from telephone chats and car probes shed some light on the evidence that led police to arrest the alleged homegrown terrorists and, along with the testimony of a police informant embedded in the group, make up the bulk of the Crown's case.
While going through a Tim Hortons drive-thru in April 2006, the wiretapped conversations of the alleged ringleaders of the so-called "Toronto 18'' talk about a "mujahed cookbook'' -- Arabic books that give step-by-step instructions on making homemade weapons. None of the men on the tape can be identified under a publication ban.
"They're all in there,'' says the suspected ringleader. "It's like homemade chemical weapons, homemade this. ... Everything you can think of.''
"What every mujahed should know,'' laughs the police informant, using the Arabic term for "holy warrior.''
But later conversations reveal a jittery side to the suspects, as they talk about police surveillance and worry about getting caught.
The alleged group's organizer talks about a newspaper article detailing the arrests of two Georgia men who came up from the United States to meet with three Canadian men who police describe as "like-minded Islamic extremists.''
"They mentioned me like three times as being extremist, terrorist, blah blah blah,'' the alleged ringleader says during a conversation captured by a wiretap in one of the suspect's cars.
"I know I'm going to jail any day,'' he says in another conversation.
In another phone call to one of the suspects, the same man continues to fret about getting caught by police.
"I'm just like, yo, I'm like a sitting duck,'' the alleged ringleader says.
"That's what you get for practising your religion, just going to the mosque and praying,'' his alleged co-conspirator says. "But if just going to the mosque is getting you in trouble, just forget it, you know what I mean?''
Later, he counsels the alleged ringleader to leave town.
"Just move from this damn city and go work,'' the suspect says, suggesting he go to Fort McMurray, Alta. "The best thing to do is just work and make your money and just live peacefully, you know what I mean? ... There's just too many loose balls in Toronto.''
But a few weeks later, the group organized a trip to Rockwood conservation area near Guelph, Ont., which the Crown alleges was a training camp where the ringleaders shot a recruitment video.
Although tapes capture the alleged ringleader boasting about the number of willing recruits he has, he later laments the fact that only 10 people are attending the Rockwood trip.
Conversations during the drive from Toronto to the Rockwood conservation area in May 2006, captured by police car probes, ranged from discussion about the sight of blowing up an 18-wheeler truck in an American capital city to the joys of the outdoors.
"I want to fish today,'' the alleged ringleader says.
"I have the fishing rods,'' replies his partner. "Just hook up a cookie to it.''
Eighteen men and youths were arrested two years ago in Canada's largest anti-terrorism operation since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Defence lawyers have since questioned the strength of the case after charges against seven of the accused men were stayed, whittling the Toronto 18 down to 11.
Defence lawyer Mitchell Chernovsky has said the alleged plot was nothing more than a fantasy.
The trial continues Monday.