Misbahuddin Ahmed gets 12 years for terrorism convictions

Former Ottawa hospital technician Misbahuddin Ahmed has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of two terrorism-related charges.

Ahmed was found guilty of conspiring to facilitate a terrorist activity and participating in the activities of a terrorist group contrary in July. He was acquitted of possession of explosives with intent to do harm.

Ahmed could appeal the decision within 30 days.

Khurram Sher, accused in the same case, was found not guilty in August of planning al-Qaeda-inspired activities.

Ahmed had pleaded not guilty

During the eight-week trial, Ahmed testified that he was trying to stop a planned attack. He said he was planning on destroying materials to build a bomb, which RCMP found in a plastic bag in his basement, and that the materials belonged to a known extremist.

RCMP had tapped his phone and videotaped him meeting with that same extremist, whose name is covered under a publication ban.

The Crown argued that Ahmed was a "committed jihadist."

After the decision, his lawyer Mark Ertel said that Ahmed was a good family man.