 Toronto, 2008
In June 2006, headlines across the world reported that Canadian authorities had disrupted a major terrorist plot thanks to the courageous efforts of Mubin Shaikh, a Muslim informant who had managed to infiltrate the cell of homegrown extremists. It was the potential ramifications of a terrorist attack in Canada that initially spurred Shaikh to action. "If something like that were to happen," he predicts the government would have seized the opportunity to heavily police the poplation, arguing that "it would have been touted as our 9/11". But two years later, even Shaikh admits "political objectives" were accomplished through the sensationalist announcements, and that perhaps "the case is not as strong as suggested". Nevertheless, Shaikh stands by his role as an informant, and the notion that at least "several" of the accused will be found guilty. "They had aspirations, very grandiose plans""You will see convictions, guaranteed", he promises, while simultaneously predicting that many of the charges aren't likely to stand up to scrutiny in court. He emphasises his desire to see "rehabilitative, not punitive" sentences. Unwilling to offer an exact number, Shaikh says he expects "the majority of them will be convicted of something", but acknowledges that will likely include charges unrelated to terrorism, and that some will be released based on their time served in pre-trial detention. "They had aspirations, very grandiose plans" says Shaikh of the "mountain of evidence" against the group. Among the most serious were the alleged comments about beheading the Canadian Prime Minister. Ultimately it was revealed that the inflammatory threat had actually referenced "Paul Loser", a denigration of former Prime MInister Paul Martin. One of the adults with the group then pointed out that Martin no longer led the country, since Stephen Harper had actually been elected five months earlier. Shaikh knew several of the arrested men prior to their involvement with the group. Introduced to Steven Chand by his brother-in-law, Shaikh defends the former Reservist against claims he spearheaded the group's actions, arguing that "the guy is not what they're making him out to be, not at all". Unaware of how many of the suspects have been since released on bail, Shaikh berates the police with a smile. "They don't tell me anything" he laments. Told that Ahmed Ghany had been released on bail a month after the arrests, he nods while murmering quietly to himself, "Good...that's good". "I have no friends anymore" On the muscled bicep of the police informant is a tattoo which summarises the young Sufi's chosen role in society, a heraldic shield with a crescent moon of Islam emblazoned as its charge. "It's a battle for identity," explains the self-styled defender of Islam, who was anxious for the RCMP and CSIS to announce his role "as a Muslim" in helping to disrupt possible terrorist plots. After the arrests however, Shaikh was often met by stony silence or outright hostility from the city's Muslim community. Ostracised for his role in helping the RCMP and CSIS, he was labelled as a rat or agent provacteur within the community, while the media lauded him as a true Canadian patriot. Some "progressive" Muslims like Tarek Fatah have suggested that Shaikh represents an extremist interpretation of Islam himself, one that disenfranchises those with different views than himself. But the concerns are dismissed with a raised eyebrow from Shaikh, who says that Fatah is simply an opportunistic "glory hound". "I'm over the need to justify myself", explains the affable Shaikh, who was upset to receive condemnation rather than congratulations, for his association with law enforcement. "I have no friends anymore" he admits, adding that some even refuse to return his greetings. Nevertheless, the former delivery courier stands by his role as an informant, arguing that it's the refusal of the Muslim community to speak out against radicalism being perpetuated in their own name, that most bothers him. "They hear people are up to no good but they won't do shit," says the exasperated Shaikh, explaining that many are loathe to involve law enforcement in the community's troubles. "I have my issues with police," he admits, pointing to his own record of trouble with the law, "but when the evidence is there...the reality is that sometimes you have to put people in jail". Shaikh chides Muslim leaders for being slow to stand up and denounce extremism as "not the kind of Islam that we like", his eyes rolling towards the ceiling "the ones who say 'No, we're against terrorism', but in the end they don't actually do much". The best remedy for extremism lies in Islam itself, he believes. "If you want to battle terrorism, turn to the Quran". "Just a little bit" of cocaineNot long after the arrests, Shaikh confessed that he had struggled with cocaine addiction, which was reportedly caused by the simultaneous fame and alienation he faced following the announcement. But Shaikh now admits that he began snorting "just a little bit" of cocaine while he was still working undercover and reporting on the activities of the group to police. His addiction was still an issue when he was called to testify at the January 2007 preliminary hearings for the young offenders in the case. "The stress of court didn't help at all", he says dismissing the claims of defence attorney Edward Sapiano that his drug habit may have skewed his reports to the RCMP and CSIS. Shaikh disputes claims that the government paid for him to enter drug rehabilitation. "They don't give a shit about me, I'm not stupid" he laughs, explaining that it was faith in his religion that led him to eschew conventional treatment. Not wanting the community to think "that Islam was not strong enough" to help him overcome his dehabilitating habit, Shaikh scheduled himself a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina in the early months of 2007. "That was my rehab," he says, "the cops didn't pay for anything." Of course, it wasn't just cocaine that followed his involvement with the terrorism investigation. "I was smoking joints too," Shaikh confesses, explaining how the stress of the investigation had led him back to the vices of his youth. Shaikh freely admits that he was a "pothead" in high school, and a frequent user of LSD, cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms. "I was a friggin' pharmacy" he jokes, adding a reference to the extremist views he held as a teenager. "I know I had militant views" Shaikh confesses, explaining the temptation he felt as a teenager to travel to "places of conflict" where he could join the ongoing battles. He recounts speaking with a number of scholars about his urge, and being consistently told that his chief goal should be to seek knowledge, rather than conflict. In May of 1995, at the age of 19, a troubled Shaikh decided to forego his "life of decadance" in favour of a four month trip to India and Pakistan with Tablighi Jamaat. That trip, he says, is what turned his life around and offered him a new perspective on Islam. Conclusion"Maybe I'm just too merciful," the embattled Shaikh laments, admitting that "it does hurt to see their situation and I feel bad that I participated in something that brought it about." Pointed to the conflicting messages that is sent to the Canadian public when a number of youths are arrested as "terrorists" only to be handed back to their parents with promises to behave, and others arrested despite the informant's insistence that they weren't involved, Shaikh's response is succinct, "you know, cops have a show to put on, right?" Related Public Domain News Articles from TFB: | 
