Creeping Slowly Out of the Woodwork

"He was an intent Wahhabi guy. He was always very critical of terrorism, but he followed a very narrow-minded view of what Islam is."
Community acquaintance of RCMP informer Abdullah Milton

"In the intelligence world, especially MI5, CSIS, [Australia's] ASIO, it's a tradition of recruiting sources [inside informants]. Our view is you'll get a far better result."
Ray Boisvert, former CSIS counter-terrorism head

"Our evidence shows that these individuals [suspects Khadar Khalib, John Maguire and Awso Peshdary] conspired to participate in or contribute to the activity of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS."
RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia

Awso Peshdary (left to right), Khadar Khalib and John Maguire were charged with terrorism-related offences Tuesday. Peshdary was apprehended while Khalib and Maguire are at large. (QMI Agency/Handout)

So the intent 'Wahhabi guy', who had no interest in the terrorism of Islamist jihad, but was inextricably wedded to the sternest form of pure Islam as is practised by Saudi Arabia and taught in their worldwide-established madrassas, was convinced by Canadian investigators in law enforcement and intelligence to do a good turn for Islam and Canada by turning Crown evidence.

"Right now Abdullah is in witness protection" David Milton, his father affirmed, from New Brunswick. He also validated the fact that his son is an informant for police. Which goes quite a way to explaining how it is that he is not among those charged in the two-year investigation conclusion of Project Servant, by the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, wrapping up "an organized network associated with ISIS".

In fact, one of the terrorism charges against the suspected members of an ISIS network operating in Ottawa, includes one count that Khadar Khalib had counselled Abdullah Milton to "participate in" or contribute to "the activities of a terrorist group". Under Canada's new reinforced anti-terrorism legislation this is an indictable crime.

Mr. Milton, originally from New Brunswick, had converted to Islam about a decade earlier. His uncle feels that investigators found him of interest possibly because of his appearance. "The latest I heard was he was working for CSIS. That's what I heard from his father when they came over for Christmas. If that's the case, that's why we didn't know much about it. To me, from my knowledge, he's very, very harmless", explained his uncle Gary Gallant.

He had agreed to speak to his knowledge of the three Canadian Muslim extremists for whom warrants were taken out, principally accused ISIS facilitator and financier Awso Peshdary, but also Khadar Khalib and John Maguire who had both departed as mujahideen to fight for Islamic State in Syria; the latter held to have been killed by a bombing raid around Kobani.

In speaking of their investigation, the charges and the arrest of Awso Peshdary, the RCMP alluded to "multiple investigative techniques" used to amass evidence, including communications "between the accused and other unindicted associates". Evidently Abdullah Milton is an 'other unindicted associate'. The Israeli Mossad led the way in infiltrating the ranks of those who  threaten the Jewish State's existence; pursuing inside informers to persuade them to work for Israel proved hugely beneficial.

But it hasn't always worked well in Canada. It did turn the investigation of the infamous Toronto 18 toward a successful conclusion when Momim Shaikh agreed to gain the confidence of those Muslim Canadian jihadis under investigation, planning to attack government sites; his first-hand witness accounts in court and the evidence he helped the RCMP amass aided in convictions.

But although the RCMP has pledged it would work with local Muslim groups to help them identify and turn away young recruits to jihad, depending on the goodwill and civil responsibility felt by some in the Muslim community to come forward with information on impending terrorist attacks doesn't hold much attraction for many who could, but do not offer to help arrest terrorism.

It certainly didn't work when Chihab Esseghaier made contact with a Muslim chef in a Montreal mosque to try to persuade the man to aid him in poisoning food served in a military mess hall, to kill Canadian soldiers; although the issue is cited at the trial of Esseghaier and his accomplice Raed Jaser, no such Muslim chef ever approached authorities to alert them that the two men were planning terrorist attacks.

And nor did London-based Canadian Muslim, Dr. Khurram Syed Sher, 32, involved in the Project Samosa terrorist plot ever approach authorities to advise them that he had been exposed unwillingly to a terrorist plot being unveiled in Ottawa by a friend and an acquaintance who were planning to mount a terrorist Islamist attack. Despite that he failed to alert authorities he was found not guilty in the plot while the two co-conspirators received lengthy prison sentences.

The RCMP's "extensive and complex" investigation led to criminal charges of terrorism against Awso Peshdary, and charges against the two jihadists who left Canada for Syria to fight with ISIS. Their in-absentia charges represent formalities, but the charges filed against Awso Peshdary will end in yet another would-be jihadist's plans apprehended and his plans against the West in collaboration with Islamic State earning him serious prison time.

The 25-year-old Iraqi-born Canadian had been previously investigated by CSIS in 2009 when he had agreed to help a member of al-Qaeda recruit extremists to conduct attacks in the West. He has been acknowledged as a community organizer, an outspoken activist, and like the other two men who left for Syria, attended Algonquin College and was associated with the Algonquin College Muslim Students' Association.

Which has taken pains to disassociate itself in any shape or form from the three.