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Steven Chand, far left, and Asad Ansari, middle, were found guilty Wednesday of participating in a terrorist group known as the Toronto 18. Fahim Ahmad, far right, pleaded guilty in May. (Alex Tavshunsky/CBC)The last two defendants accused of being part of the so-called Toronto 18 plot have been found guilty of knowingly participating in a terrorist group.
Steven Chand, 29, and Asad Ansari, 25, were convicted Wednesday in Ontario Superior Court in Brampton, Ont.
The charge of knowingly participating in a terrorist group carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, said a spokesman for the federal Department of Justice.
Chand was also found guilty of counselling to commit fraud over $5,000 for the benefit of a terrorist group. He was convicted for trying to put together a plan to finance the terrorist group by taking out fraudulent bank loans. He faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison.
Both men were remanded until Thursday. A date for their sentencing has not yet been set.
Chand and Ansari are the first defendants in Canada to be tried on terrorism charges by a jury instead of a judge.
During the trial, the jury heard that the two men attended what police said was a recruitment camp for a terrorist group in Washago, Ont., in December 2005.
The Crown said the men discussed Canadian sites that could be potential targets of an attack, such as nuclear stations and Parliament.
Police rounded up a total of 18 men and youth in the summer of 2006 in an operation that made headlines around the world.
Seven of the individuals had the original charges against them dropped or stayed. Two were found guilty at trial by a judge. Seven pleaded guilty.
With files from The Canadian PressShare Tools
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