Terror suspect convicted in Austrian-Canadian plot

MONTREAL — A Canadian resident was convicted on Thursday of four terrorism-related charges for plotting attacks in Germany and Austria in order to get the NATO nations to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

Said Nomad, 36, a Moroccan citizen who has lived in Quebec since 2003, was found guilty of one count of plotting to set off a bomb in Vienna, participating in a terrorist act, facilitating an act and committing extortion for a terrorist group. He faces life in prison.

Prosecutor Dominique Dudemaine said he may ask for a life sentence because prosecutors have sought such stiff penalties in other Canadian cases. He said he had no doubt Namouh was on his way to perpetrating a bombing.

“I’m positive about that and it’s the decision of the court,” Dudemaine said. The evidence is uncontradicted — Namouh said he wishes to die as a martyr and he was ready to fly abroad to (achieve his goal) to die as a martyr.”

Namouh’s lawyer, Rene Duval, had questioned the prosecution’s evidence, saying it fell short of proving he actively encouraged anyone to commit terrorist acts.

Namouh was arrested in Quebec in September 2007 for his alleged role in making threats in an Internet video that surfaced last March warning that Germany and Austria would be attacked if they did not pull their troops out of Afghanistan.

Germany has about 3,000 troops serving with the NATO-led security force in Afghanistan, but Austria has sent just four liaison officers to the country.

A lengthy report filed by U.S. terrorism expert Rita Katz during Namouh’s trial indicated that targets included Vienna-based OPEC, the United Nations, German government officials, prominent politicians in Germany and Austria as well as the Euro 2008 soccer tournament.

Prosecutors also argued Namouh was a member of the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), an organization authorities said was involved in propaganda and jihad recruitment, and described as a media tool for al-Qaida.

Namouh was alleged to have spent countless hours creating, distributing and redistributing numerous propaganda videos that included images of deaths of western soldiers and of suicide bombings.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police found evidence on Namouh’s computer of dozens of videos and other propaganda materials, as well as thousands of pages of transcripts from online discussions revealing he was an active member on jihad forums and message boards.

He chatted on the jihad forums under the name “Ashraf,” praising attacks against western soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan and conspiring to attack Austria and Germany.

He was also accused of publishing a video of the Gaza kidnapping of BBC journalist Alan Johnston by a group known as the Army of Islam, an organization affiliated with GIMF.

Judge Claude Leblond said in his ruling he believes the Global Islamic Media Front is a terrorist group in the eyes of Canadian law.

In his closing arguments, prosecutor Dudemaine said it was clear Namouh was heavily invested in the group.

Namouh’s coconspirator, Mohamed Mahmoud, an Austrian man of Egyptian origin described as a leader of the GIMF, has already been sentenced in Austria to four years in prison. His wife was also sentenced to 22-months for her role in the plot.

There was no evidence that Namouh, who has permanent residence status in Canada, was planning an attack on Canadian soil.

Sentencing arguments will be held Nov. 13.