A new independent documentary has been released on the Internet called Unfair Dealings by David Weingarten. CKLN’s Mark Bills interviewed Weingarten on the production of the film.

The documentary covers the arrest of the Toronto 18. But the publication ban severely limits the information potentially collected by the producers.

One of the commentators appears to be RCMP informant, Mubeen Shaikh, and says,

Weak documentary. Too many assumptions regarding lack of evidence. Without getting into details, I can tell you that there is MUCH that was caught on tape. Only a defeat of the publication ban will help that come out into the public.

Please understand, though, that there are varying degrees of involvement of the accused and this is reflected in the charges laid.

I am interested in seeing the rhetoric that will flow when the evidence is out. A lot of people are gonna feel real stupid.

He rejects some of the other accusations as well, and the real story will only be unveiled as the case is resolved. But then he is understandably upset, being accused in the film as an agent provocateur.

Maybe the bigger question is whether independent films such as this would be considered “offensive” enough to be denied tax credits by Conservatives under the proposed Bill C-10.

Liberals have vowed to prevent the bill from becoming a tool for censorship.

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Part 6

Updates

• Recently published court documents do led credibility to the Crown’s claims. But since the partial publication ban prevents linking of such statements to specific names, there is no way of determining whether they were made by the same individuals from among the 18 that the informant identified as being the only ones guilty. Charges against 3 of the accused have already been stayed.
• The Globe covered the documentary in a story and repeat concerns that only a small number are responsible for the most serious charges. Defence for the accused states that any supposed plans were grossly exaggerated by informants, police and media. The article also raises the credibility issues surrounding the informant,

Mr. Shaikh is under a kind of trial himself, though outside the courtroom – on YouTube, where a six-part video on the Toronto 18 case, overtly hostile to the informant, is now circulating.

• Another story in The Star indicates that alleged training camps were believed by some to be a harmless winter camping trip. Others more directly responsible had neither the skills nor ability to carry out any of the threats some have purported to have made. In short, the factum demonstrates a large number of completely innocent parties, and others who may have had some animosity but no real designs for violence.
• Advocate for the Toronto 18, Beenish Gaya, writes in to us and sent us comments posted here.
• A Press Release we received on the subject follows:

NEW FILM VINDICATES TORONTO TERROR SUSPECTS; ALLEGES ENTRAPMENT BY RCMP

Shocking facts about alleged “homegrown terrorism” in Toronto are revealed for the first time in a new and independent documentary.

The film, entitled “Unfair Dealing”, is the creation of Toronto-area broadcaster David Weingarten. “Unfair Dealing” examines the ongoing case of 18 mostly Muslim Canadians, arrested during the summer of 2006 and accused of plotting to detonate fertilizer-bombs in Southern Ontario. The film contains exclusive interviews with:

Tariq Abdelhaleem, father of suspect Shareef Abdelhaleem
Ken Kerr, witness and neighbour of the warehouse which received the bomb-making materials, or ammonium nitrate

QUOTE: “Any features we’ve seen on this particular topic are pretty biased,” says writer and narrator David Weingarten. “They unfairly paint the suspects a shade of guilty.”

“We’ve created a film that looks at the suspects the way they’re supposed to be looked at in a free and just society – innocent until proven guilty.”

“Our documentary serves as a comprehensive guide to how this case developed into what it has.”

“Unfair Dealing” also examines some of the controversial evidence and facts involved in the ongoing case of alleged “homegrown terrorism”, including:

The fact that federal MP Wajid Kahn was instrumental in surveillance of the suspects

The fact that one paid informants degree in ‘agricultural engineering’ gave him – and only him – the capability to buy the alleged bomb-making fertilizer

The fact that the warehouse which received the bomb-making materials is within 500 meters of the RCMP detachment in Newmarket, Ontario, at 1228 Gorham St., Unit 6

The allegation that the RCMP secured the rental of the warehouse – not the suspects – according to an exclusive interview with Ken Kerr of 1228 Gorham Street, as told to him by the warehouse co-owner, Robert Lassaline. This allegation challenges Crown documents stating that Shareef Abdelhaleem was the one to secure rental of the warehouse

The well-documented history of RCMP and CSIS dirty-trick tactics and staged operations (Phony FLQ Manifesto, Barn-Burning, Operation Bricole, Operation Ham, Operation Kabriole, Project Thread, Etc…)

QUOTE: “As we have seen in the taser-death of Robert Dziekanski, and during the RCMP dirty-tricks campaign at the SPP Montebello protests in Quebec, citizen-journalism has the potential to break news and information, and command political attention in the form of inquiries and investigations” says writer and narrator David Weingarten. “This film highlights some of the little-known facts about an extremely important case that is likely to remain in the courts for years. It really is something the public needs to see.”