Member of Canadian terror plot gets life sentence

Brampton: A member of a homegrown terrorist group involved in a plot to set off truck bombs in front of Canada's main stock exchange and two government buildings has received a life sentence.

Shareef Abdelhaleem, 35, was a member of the so-called "Toronto 18" plot to set off bombs outside Toronto's Stock Exchange, a building housing Canada's spy agency and a military base.

He was convicted last year of participating in a terrorist group and intending to cause an explosion. A judge today gave Abdelhaleem the same sentence as the group's ringleader, Zakaria Amara.

Abdelhaleem and 17 others were arrested in the summer of 2006. Charges were dropped or stayed against seven people while 11 others were sent to prison.

Abdelhaleem can apply for parole in 10 years.