Raed Jaser, Via Rail terror suspect, denied bail

Raed Jaser, a Palestinian refugee who has been in jail in Toronto since his arrest April 22 on allegations he was involved in a Via Rail terror threat, has been denied bail. 

Along with his co-accused Chiheb Esseghaier, a Tunisian PhD student living in Montreal, Jaser, 35, is charged with participating in a terrorist group, and conspiring to murder for the benefit of a terrorist group and to interfere with transportation facilities for the benefit of a terrorist group, between Aug. 26 and Sept. 25.

Jaser's family was in attendance throughout his three-day bail hearing, which had been postponed from October due to a surety being out of the country.

He and Esseghaier, 31, were arrested in April and accused of plotting to attack a train that runs between Toronto and New York City.

Police stressed at the time of the arrests that there was no imminent threat to the public.

A joint judicial pretrial for both has been set for Dec. 9.

Esseghaier is looking for a lawyer who will follow the Qu'ran instead of the Criminal Code, but the prosecutor has said the chances of that happening are slim.