Judge allows 'sinister' e-mails as evidence (Messages from Khawaja show his support for jihad)

The Ottawa Sun ^ | Mon, July 14, 2008 | DONNA CASEY

[fanfan]

The judge in Momin Khawaja's terrorism trial has ruled that "sinister and chilling" e-mails - where the software designer talks about the need to kill "innocent human beings" to achieve "economic jihad" against America - can be considered as evidence.

In a ruling coming as the Crown wraps up its case against the Orleans man, Ontario Superior Court Justice Douglas Rutherford said excerpts from an Oct. 24, 2003 e-mail sent by Khawaja to Zeba Khan in Islamabad were "not likely to shock and influence ... the rational capacity" of the trial judge to determine the e-mails' weight in light of other evidence presented against Khawaja.

Rutherford ruled the e-mails are revelant to the charges Khawaja faces of supporting "terrorist activities of a most serious character that would have caused serious bodily harm and death and damage to property", adding his alleged co-conspirators were convicted in the U.K. and the U.S.

The ruilng is considered a major blow to Khawaja's defence, that argued the e-mails would lead to the "erroneous inference" that Khawaja's expressed support of jihad — referred to as "J" in the emails — meant he also supported the U.K. fertilizer bomb plot.

In an Oct. 24, 2003, email, Khawaja outlines his view to Khan about "an accurate, effective economic J in the proper and honourable way." He talks about economic war with "the Kuffar," the non-Muslim world, with the e-mail describing "constant economic J, blow after blow, until they cripple and fall, never to rise again."

In the e-mail, Khawaja talks about how "the actions of 19 men on Sept. 11 are the most accurate, effective, and honourable way of conducting economic J."

"Yes, I understand that innocent human beings died, but there is absolutely no other way of achieving the same objective with the same effect," Khawaja tells Khan in the e-mail.

Rutherford also ruled that a series of DVDs depicting "very violent acts of terrorism" Khawaja gave to an Ottawa-area woman for alleged recruiting purposes can also be considered as evidence in the case.

Lawrence Greenspon, Khawaja's lawyer, had argued that the DVDs given to Zenab Armandpisheh outlining his views on waging war against the West, the videos depicted his views on jihad but didn't outline his views on the U.K. bomb plot.

Armandpisheh testified Friday that she set up at a bank account in January 2003 at Khawaja's request to wire money to the U.K. to the wife of Omar Khyam, who was convicted last year by a British jury of being the ringleader of the U.K. fertilizer bomb plot that aimed to attack London landmarks and gas and electric supply depots in 2004.

[fanfan]

[agere_contra]

Yes, I understand that innocent human beings died, but there is absolutely no other way of achieving the same objective with the same effect

I know hacking off this guy's goolies would be wrong, but there is absolutely no other way of achieving the same objective with the same effect.

[fanfan]

LOL.

Logic is sexy.

[Oorang]

Good for the rational thinking judge.