TORONTO - A Mississauga, Ont., man who pleaded guilty to making hoax terrorist calls has been sentenced to 12 months in jail.
Members of the Ontario Integrated National Security Enforcement Team arrested Justin Dillon, 34, on April 2, 2008.
He pleaded guilty in a Brampton court last June.
Dillon was accused of placing several phone calls to Toronto Crime Stoppers, Toronto police and the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office in New Jersey. The caller reported that a terrorist group was planning to blow up a mall in New Jersey.
The calls resulted in a significant police response involving several agencies, which included stopping traffic, checking of individuals that matched the description of the alleged perpetrator and preventing vehicles from stopping in loading zones around the mall.
The calls were received on Friday, Nov. 24, 2006, one week before what is commonly regarded as "Black Friday", the busiest shopping day of the year.
"The RCMP takes these sorts of matters very seriously," said Insp. Kevin Jackson, officer in charge of the enforcement team.
"Far from harmless pranks, terrorist hoaxes cause very real public apprehension, resulting in unnecessary and costly police responses."
