Zakaria Amara, a key figure in the foiled Toronto 18 terrorist scheme, has been granted full parole by the Parole Board of Canada due to the absence of any indications of retaining extremist beliefs or radical viewpoints. Amara, who played a role in recruiting individuals for a group planning to attack Parliament Hill and target various locations in Toronto, has been on day parole under strict conditions for four years. Following a recent review of his case, the board elevated his parole status.
In a decision released on Friday, the board highlighted that Amara, aged 41, actively engaged in deradicalization efforts while incarcerated and effectively utilized his day parole for rehabilitation purposes. The panel commended his positive transformation in both attitude and behavior. Throughout his day parole period, Amara was closely monitored, including supervision of his online activities, relationships, and social interactions, with no reported issues or violations.
The decision, which contained redacted portions, disclosed Amara’s intentions to reside independently, maintain a full-time job, attend a mosque, spend time with family, and engage in appropriate leisure activities. He is prohibited from associating with individuals involved in criminal activities, including his co-conspirators from the thwarted terror plot, or anyone promoting extremist ideologies, except in his consultancy role with a specialized program.
Additionally, Amara must continue to partake in counseling sessions and adhere to financial oversight, as well as restrictions on his phone and internet usage. The parole board’s ruling comes twenty years after the dismantling of the domestic terror plot that had a profound impact on public perceptions of terrorism.
Amara and his partner recruited adherents based on jihadist beliefs, with the objective of executing terrorist acts to pressure the Canadian government to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. The group eventually split into factions, with Amara leading a faction focused on constructing truck bombs targeting the headquarters of the Canadian Security Intelligence Services, the Toronto Stock Exchange building, and a military installation. He was apprehended on the day bomb-making materials were delivered to a warehouse.
Amara admitted to participating in a terrorist group with the intent of causing explosions that could result in severe injuries or fatalities, for which he received a life sentence without parole for a decade. Despite contesting the sentence, his appeal was rejected. The parole board noted that Amara’s extremist beliefs persisted during his initial incarceration period, marked by various disciplinary incidents.
However, a noticeable ideological shift occurred in 2014, leading to his relocation to a medium-security facility in 2019, where he exhibited respectful and compliant behavior as reported by correctional officers. Amara was initially granted a three-month day parole in 2022, which was subsequently extended. The board acknowledged his efforts to distance himself from extremist ideologies and like-minded individuals during his later prison term and subsequent community reintegration.