How a Would-Be Bomber Rebuilt His Life
January 10, 2025 at 01:58PMMichelle Shephard revisits a subject from nearly 20 years ago in this thoughtful look at a terrorist’s redemption story. In examining Zakaria Amara’s life post-prison, Shephard reflects on how her attitude has also moved on. A powerful look at the justice system, rehabilitation, the power of the media, and human beings’ capacity for change.
I was surprised to hear from him. The media’s coverage of the Toronto 18 case had been criticized in some quarters—not unfairly—for being sensational, and I assumed he’d want nothing to do with reporters. I replied the day after receiving his email. I told him that, after two decades at the Star, I’d left the newspaper in 2018 to focus more on documentary filmmaking, podcasts, and longer features but that I’d be happy to have a coffee. I was genuinely curious about how he was doing, how prison had shaped him.
We agreed to meet on the campus of Toronto Metropolitan University. I was running a few minutes late, so I sent him a text. “Got us prime real estate,” he wrote back. “Going to find a spot to pray. Brb.” As I waited in line for coffee, I spotted what I assumed was his unattended bag at a table by the window. Just minutes later, he came back looking distraught and apologizing profusely for how that must have appeared—a convicted terrorist leaving an unattended bag! I laughed and confessed the thought hadn’t even crossed my mind, which obviously made me a terrible national security correspondent. Throughout that first conversation, he seemed contrite, regretful, thoughtful, and pretty funny.
from Longreads https://longreads.com/2025/01/10/how-a-would-be-bomber-rebuilt-his-life/
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