Toronto 18 Terror Plot Leader Granted Full Parole Two Decades After Foiled Attack

Zakaria Amara, one of the central figures behind Canada’s thwarted “Toronto 18” terror plot, has been granted full parole nearly 20 years after authorities uncovered plans to bomb key targets in Toronto and attack government institutions.

The Parole Board of Canada approved the change in his release status on October 16, 2026, concluding that Amara no longer showed signs of holding extremist beliefs or radical ideologies. The 41-year-old had spent the previous four years on day parole under strict supervision.

The Toronto 18 case began attracting national attention in 2006, when police arrested members of a group accused of planning terrorist attacks to pressure Canada to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. Investigators said the plot included plans to build truck bombs targeting the Canadian Security Intelligence Service headquarters, the Toronto Stock Exchange and a military base.

Amara pleaded guilty in 2009 to participating in a terrorist group with the intention of causing explosions likely to result in serious injury or dєatᩚh. He received a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 10 years. His appeal against the sentence was unsuccessful.

According to the parole board’s written decision, Amara’s extremist attitudes persisted during his early years in prison but began to change around 2014. Officials later reported positive changes in his conduct, and his four years on day parole passed without reported breaches or safety concerns.

Under the terms of his full parole, Amara must continue counselling and financial monitoring and follow restrictions on his phone and internet use. He is prohibited from contacting people involved in criminal activity, including others arrested in the 2006 raids, and people holding extremist views, with a limited exception for his work as a consultant in a specialized program.

The decision also outlines plans for him to live in his own home, maintain employment, spend time with family and attend a mosque.

The release decision comes amid renewed public discussion about rehabilitation, the risks associated with former extremist offenders and how authorities assess their readiness to return to the community. The parole board said its decision reflected Amara’s conduct during supervised release and the changes it documented over time.

Source: DAILYMAIL