LAWYERS ABANDON PETITION
Restrictions on suspects suspended
Louie Rosella
Staff
Officials at Milton’s Maplehurst Detention Centre are lifting some restrictions on the men charged in connection with the alleged Meadowvale-based terrorist cell following complaints from their lawyers, well placed sources say.
Gary Batasar and Michael Moon, lawyers for Steven Chand, 25, of Toronto were in the process of bringing to a judge on Monday an application the included complaints regarding the treatment of their client since his June 2 arrest and subsequent detention at Maplehurst.
The application was also to include a request that the superintendent at Maplehurst appear in court to answer allegations of abuse and unnecessary physical restraint.
However, the lawyers dropped the application following a Monday afternoon meeting with Justice Bruce Durno.
Moon and Batasar would not comment on why they abandoned the application, but sources close to the case say Maplehurst officials agreed to “lift” some restriction placed on Chand and the other accused men.
Sources say that the men no longer required to wear leg shackles when they are being moved around and they are now permitted, with some restrictions, to have visits from family members and to make calls to relatives.
The men also meet with their lawyers in the same room.
Chand is accused of reviving terrorist training in connection with what Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) claim was a terrorist group’s plan to bomb public buildings and take politicians hostage.
Maplehurst spokesperson Julia Noonan said she couldn’t comment on the level of security at the facility, and couldn’t confirm that restrictions on suspects have been lifted.
She did say that staff makes regular security assessments and the level of security around an inmate can while he/she is at the institution.
“We make our decisions based on the number of factors and we do listen to any arguments or concerns made by their counsel,” Noonan said yesterday.
“But we also have to look at security measures that are appropriate for out institution and take into consideration the information we receive from other sources, such as police,” added Noonan.
In total, 17 people have been charged in the wake of extensive investigation, six of whom are from Mississauga.
You can reach Louie at lrosella@mississauga.net.