Popular online forum urges members not to talk about Canada terror plot accused

MONTREAL - Dr. Khurram Sher and Misbahuddin Ahmed, two of the men charged in an Ottawa terror plot, are reportedly cousins by marriage, and now, the tightly-knit Montreal Muslim community they lived in, is shutting down to protect them.

In the online forum ‘montrealmuslims.ca’, an administrator posted a message on Friday, urging its members not to talk about “Khurram and Misbah,” publicly or privately, because it is “more than likely that some people are under surveillance and anything could be used against the defendants,” Globe and Mail newspaper reports.

This is not the first time that members of the community have expressed their worry about the government keeping an eye on them.

Three years ago, on the same website, several people posted messages on a forum about concerns that the FBI was tapping their phones. A man, who posted under the name Khurram, was one of them, giving guidance to other worried members.

“Cell phones are much easier to listen into, a very common technique employed by CSIS/FBI etc.,” the poster wrote. “Home lines can be tapped but you should hear a clicking noise - inform Bell Canada right away. They can check if it is tapped or not,” it said.

Hiva Alizadeh, Misbahuddin Ahmed, Khuram Sher and an fourth unnamed suspect were arrested in a series of raids after a year-long investigation by Canada’s spy agency and The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), The three have been charged with conspiracy to facilitate an act of terrorism. Alizadeh has also been charged with funding terrorism and possession of an explosive device while the fourth suspect has not been charged with any offence as of now. (ANI)