TORONTO/MONTREAL: Two men charged in Canada with plotting an attack on a passenger train appeared in separate courts yesterday while Iran reacted angrily to police accusations that the plotters were backed by Al Qaeda elements in Iran.
Raed Jaser, 35, of Toronto and Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, of Montreal were arrested in separate raids and charged on Monday, sparking worries of a Canadian attack just one week after the Boston Marathon bombings killed three people and injured more than 200.
Iran had some senior Al Qaeda figures under a form of house arrest in the years following the September 11, 2001, attacks, but there has been little to no evidence to date of joint attempts to execute violence against the West.
However, a US government source said Iran is home to a little-known network of alleged Al Qaeda fixers and “facilitators” based in the city of Zahedan, very close to Iran’s borders with both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Iran reacted angrily to being tied to the arrests. “No shred of evidence regarding those who’ve been arrested and stand accused has been provided,” Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman said.
Reuters
