Misbahuddin Ahmed found guilty of 2 terrorism charges

Former Ottawa hospital technician Misbahuddin Ahmed has been found guilty of two terrorism-related charges by a jury.

Ahmed, 30, had pleaded not guilty to conspiring to knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity, participation in the activities of a terrorist group, and possession of explosives with intent to do harm after his arrest in August 2010.

His eight-week trial began in mid-May and went to a jury on Tuesday. On Friday, the jury found him guilty of the first two charges but not guilty to the possession of explosives charge.

Conspiring to knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison, while participation in the activities of a terrorist group has a 10-year maximum term.

Ahmed will be sentenced on Sept. 15.

“I’m devastated by the verdict, it’s never easy to lose a case and it’s especially hard to see someone like this be convicted of these types of offences,” said Ahmed's lawyer, Mark Ertel.

"He’s a good man, a family man, the jury obviously found that for a short period of time in his life he was misguided but the acquittal on the third count proves they realized if there was any danger to Canadians or anyone he put an end to it."

Crown lawyers said during the trial that Ahmed was a "committed jihadist" with an eye on potential Canadian targets, pointing to a bag in his basement they alleged held bomb-making materials.

Ahmed and his defence said during the trial that he was trying to stop a planned attack and was planning to destroy the contents of the bag, which he got from a known extremist.

The jury heard how the RCMP had tapped Ahmed's phone and videotaped him meeting with that same extremist, whose name is covered under a publication ban.

A verdict is expected in the trial for Khurram Sher, one of Ahmed's alleged co-conspirators, on Aug. 19.