By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Ont. (AA) – The trial of a Canadian couple facing four terror-related charges began Wednesday in Montreal.
El Mahdi Jamali, 20, and Sabrine Djermane, 21, are accused of attempting to leave Canada to commit a terror act abroad; possession of an explosive substance; facilitating a terrorist act; and committing an act under the direction or for the profit of a terrorist organization, Canadian media reported.
The Crown prosecution said the pair was answering a call by the Daesh terrorist group to fight in the Middle East and materials to make bombs were found during a search of their Montreal home.
The prosecution said the pair was influenced by a video posted online in December 2014 that showed Canadian John Maguire talking about the attacks on Parliament Hill and in Quebec that year. Two Canadian soldiers were killed in the separate instances.
Maguire urged Canadian Muslims to go to Syria to carry out attacks.
“The prosecution will show that Sabrine Djermane and El Mahdi Jamali responded to that call,” federal prosecutor Lyne Decarie said in her opening statement Wednesday, Canadian media reported.
The formula for the construction of bombs was copied from an al-Qaida publication, authorities said.
Authorities also found they had packed clothing and booked a fight to Syria.
The pair has pleaded not guilty.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were tipped off to the couple’s plans and made a swift arrest of the pair, who were teenagers at the time, in April 2015.
The prosecution will call 31 police and other witnesses. A jury of 12 will hear the case. The trial is expected to last 10 weeks.
