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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, D ec em be r 2 2, 2 01 0 4 Both will be eligible for parole after serving half the time. Meanwhile, Zakaria Amara, 25, a Meadowvale Secondary School graduate, had his appeal of a life sentence reject- ed by the higher court. His lawyer was seeking a term of 18-20 years. Amara was sentenced last Jan. 18 in Brampton court to life in prison with no parole for at least six years. He pleaded guilty to participating in the activity of a terrorist group and intending to cause an explo- sion that was likely to cause serious harm or death. Gaya pleaded guilty to committing an indictable criminal offence with the intent to cause an explosion of a substance that was likely to cause serious bodily harm or death to persons, or was likely to cause serious damage to property. In upping his jail term, judges concluded: "In short, we are, respectfully, of the view that the sen- tence imposed on (Gaya) did not adequately reflect the unique nature of terrorism-related crimes, nor did it adequately reflect the enormity of his crime and the role he played in it." Khalid pleaded guilty to intending to cause an explosion that was likely to cause serious bodily harm, death or damage to property. In increasing his sentence, appeal judges said: "(Khalid) played a pivotal role in a scheme, which, if implement- ed, could have killed countless innocent people and left the entire country changed very much for the worse. Accepting the force of the mit- igating factors identified by the sentencing judge, we nonetheless conclude that the sentence imposed was demonstrably unfit." In upholding Amara's sen- tence, the judges said: "(He) was the mastermind of a plot that, at the very least, he knew was likely to result in the indiscriminate killing of innocent people on a potentially massive scale. Indeed, in (his) case, a strong argument can be made that widespread carnage was precisely the outcome that he intend- ed...(furthermore), the sentencing judges finding that (Amara's) reformation is far from certain and that his prospects for rehabilitation are guarded at this stage, and a life sentence becomes the only feasible sentence." The plot was foiled in spring 2006. In total, 18 people were arrested. Seven have had charges dropped or stayed, four were convicted and seven, including Amara, Khalid and Gaya, pleaded guilty. Terrorists handed stiffer sentences Continued from page 1 Saad Gaya In good hands NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER KEY EXCHANGE: Halton Chair Gary Carr recently handed over the keys to two decommissioned ambulances to Jonathan Carey, chair of Community Services Committee St. John ambulance, Oakville-Milton, Halton Hills Branch. In the back ground are (l-r) Milton Halton Hills Unit Chief Vince Cicero, Deputy Unit Chief Jason Nurse, and Halton Logistical Sgt. Josh Tucker, at Halton Region, Woodlands Operational Centre.