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An al Qaeda-inspired plot is making headlines in Canada. It involves a home-grown plot that allegedly targeted major landmarks in Toronto. This week, one of the alleged ringleaders went on trial. Anita Elash has more from Toronto.

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JEB SHARP: An al-Qaeda inspired plot is making headlines in Canada. It involves a homegrown plot that allegedly targeted major landmarks in Toronto. Eighteen men were arrested in 2006. This week one of the alleged ring leaders went on trial. Authorities say he’s a business man who planned to make some money from the attacks. Anita Elash has more from Toronto.

ANITA ELASH: According to four of the suspects who pleated guilty the group known as the Toronto 18 planned to set off three powerful truck bombs in Toronto during a morning rush hour in 2006. They said the attacks were meant as retaliation for the presence of Canadian troops in Afghanistan. The man on trial this week stands out from the rest of the Toronto 18. Most of them were university students or recent high school graduates working in dead end jobs. Authorities say Shareef Abdelhaleem was different. He’s a self-employed computer programmer who drove a BMW convertible and earned a six-figure salary. The prosecution maintains that Abdelhaleem planned to make a profit from the attacks. It alleges that he planned to short-sell stocks before the bombing to make money to finance other attacks in US cities such as New York and Chicago. To back up that claim the prosecution put a star witness on the stand – one of Abdelhaleem’s friends. Shaher Elsohemy testified that Abdelhaleem talked to him about profiting from the chaos after the bombings. Abdelhaleem has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer, William Naylor, says there’s a problem with the prosecution’s star witness. Naylor points out that Canadian authorities on Elsohemy to provide him with a new life in exchange for his testimony. Naylor says that means he can’t be trusted.

WILLIAM NAYLOR: For $4.1 million I think some people may want to get the $4.1 million before they get too concerned about the search for the truth.

ELASH: Abdelhaleem’s trial is expected to last for several weeks. For The World I’m Anita Elash in Toronto.

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