Return to Sender

"I wanted to start a career, start my life in Canada because I was informed Canada was a country where you had freedom to express your views. I never had any ill-intentions of breaking the law."
"We are the Muslims, we are coming for you."
"If I only had a plane..."
Mohammed Aqeeq Ansari, 30, Toronto

Scotia Plaza -- Toronto skyline

"He was fond of guns just like a child is fond of toys and there is no intention to harm anybody in the world."
"He told me like a father, I am not involved in any bad activities."
Muhammad Athar Ansari

Mr. Ansari the elder testified in his son's defence at a hearing held to determine whether Mr. Ansari the younger should be released from detention while deportation proceedings continue. The 30-year-old Pakistani born resident of Toronto has been described by Federal security officials as an "integral member" of a Pakistani terrorist organization.

They evidently came by that impression with the aid of considerable evidence gathered over the years. And now the Canada Border Services Agency which had conducted the investigation was prepared to take its case for revocation of Mr. Ansari's immigrant status to the Immigration and Refugee Board within 30 days.

While the young Mr. Ansari testified how much he appreciated the freedoms that Canada offered, he also, it was discovered, created and maintained an official website of the Pakistani group Ahle-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, linked to terrorism. As well, he was the operator of a PayPal account that gathered contributions for the militant group. His online musings reflect the mind of an extremist, moreover.

He had posted a photograph of Toronto's Scotiabank tower, commenting alongside the photo: "If I only had a plane..." As far as his lawyer Anser Farooq is concerned, his client is a victim of speculation based on his political religious and ideological views for "There's no allegation Mr. Ansari did anything" - yet.

In 2012 counter-terrorism police charged him with 21 firearms offences relating to a stockpile of weapons he had amassed and kept in the basement of a house in Peterborough, Ontario, belonging to his brother. During the investigation, a search discovered an electronic storage device whose contents led to another investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police counter-terrorism unit.

And just incidentally, exercising the freedom of speech that Canada is so famous for, Mohammed Aqeeq Ansari had stated at a Toronto mosque that he hated Canada, and had been sent there for a "military mission", according to a recording of his statement made at the mosque. In short order this man whose father thinks the world of him, will be escorted out of the country he hates.

At which time he will be enabled to report back directly, in person, to those who dispatched him to the "country where you had freedom to express your views", that his mission was not the success they anticipated it should be, Inshallah.