Leslie Tsui, 28, pleaded guilty Friday to weapons and drug possession charges in a chain of events that unfolded when he ripped off taxi driver Tuhel Ahmed around 1 a.m. on Feb. 25, 2013.
When Ahmed and airport security staff pursued Tsui — after he short-changed the cabbie $7 on a $10 cab ride from Fairmont Royal York hotel to the Island airport — he dashed into a men’s room.
Tsui unloaded a Colt .45 automatic handgun and shoulder holster and stashed it behind a toilet, before hopping on a ferry to the Island where he was arrested, said an agreed statement of facts filed in court.
Security staff spotted Tsui hiding among parked vehicles and Toronto Police arrested him for trespassing. He had no identification and lied to officers about his name. His suitcase contained a 10-round magazine of ammunition plus a bag of marijuana.
When Tsui was interviewed by officers at 14 Division, he “admitted he had unloaded and concealed the handgun” — a restricted weapon with its serial numbers removed — in the airport washroom.
A cleaner found the firearm and holster and brought it to the Toronto Police Marine Unit, where he “was promptly tackled by them as they were unaware as to why he was bringing them the gun,” the statement of facts indicated.
A police search of Tsui’s apartment on Blake St. uncovered an alarming collection of restricted weapons, including stun guns, an R30-round capacity assault rifle magazine, a butterfly knife, brass knuckles, detonation plastic, balaclavas and a hatchet. Also seized were G4S security uniforms (like those used at Billy Bishop airport), Garda security and military uniforms, crystal meth, cocaine and GHB.
The unemployed, single man admitted to police in an interview that he “attempted to make and detonate a small test bomb.”
Essentially, he flew to Vancouver to purchase what he believed was a plastic explosive, C4, the court document stated.
“He returned with the C4, built the bomb and attempted to detonate it in a wooded area near Broadview and Cummer Avenues in Toronto,” the court document stated.
“He was unsuccessful in detonating the bomb. Police believe the reason he was unsuccessful is because what he purchased in Vancouver was not a plastic explosive, but was fake,” the document stated.
Tsui’s computer revealed a number of videos and pictures (to be detailed in court at a later date) and also the “Anarchist’s Cookbook.”
When police asked Tsui about weapons and other items found in his apartment, he said he did it “for the country.”
Tsui, dressed in a dark grey suit and sporting a thin moustache, looked straight ahead and spoke softly as he pleaded guilty to possession of a restricted, loaded firearm and other gun and drug offences in front of Justice Mary Hogan. He did not face any terrorism-related charges.
Crown attorney Mihael Cole said he’ll seek a psychiatric assessment for Tsui, but defence lawyer T. J. Partington said he’ll oppose the request when the sentencing hearing starts April 16.
Gene Cabral, executive vice-president of Toronto Port Authority and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, said the facility is “constantly evaluating its security measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and the surrounding community.
“We have safeguarded security measures in place throughout the passenger process, from parking to ferry to check-in to gate, and we will continue to evaluate our systems to ensure they meet and exceed all safety considerations,” Cabral said.
A man who stashed a gun at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in what may have been a terrorist dry run admitted in court he possessed weapons, drugs, security guard uniforms and unsuccessfully tested a small bomb in Toronto.
Leslie Tsui, 28, pleaded guilty Friday to weapons and drug possession charges in a chain of events that unfolded when he ripped off taxi driver Tuhel Ahmed around 1 a.m. on Feb. 25, 2013.
When Ahmed and airport security staff pursued Tsui — after he short-changed the cabbie $7 on a $10 cab ride from Fairmont Royal York hotel to the Island airport — he dashed into a men’s room.
Tsui unloaded a Colt .45 automatic handgun and shoulder holster and stashed it behind a toilet, before hopping on a ferry to the Island where he was arrested, said an agreed statement of facts filed in court.
Security staff spotted Tsui hiding among parked vehicles and Toronto Police arrested him for trespassing. He had no identification and lied to officers about his name. His suitcase contained a 10-round magazine of ammunition plus a bag of marijuana.
When Tsui was interviewed by officers at 14 Division, he “admitted he had unloaded and concealed the handgun” — a restricted weapon with its serial numbers removed — in the airport washroom.
A cleaner found the firearm and holster and brought it to the Toronto Police Marine Unit, where he “was promptly tackled by them as they were unaware as to why he was bringing them the gun,” the statement of facts indicated.
A police search of Tsui’s apartment on Blake St. uncovered an alarming collection of restricted weapons, including stun guns, an R30-round capacity assault rifle magazine, a butterfly knife, brass knuckles, detonation plastic, balaclavas and a hatchet. Also seized were G4S security uniforms (like those used at Billy Bishop airport), Garda security and military uniforms, crystal meth, cocaine and GHB.
The unemployed, single man admitted to police in an interview that he “attempted to make and detonate a small test bomb.”
Essentially, he flew to Vancouver to purchase what he believed was a plastic explosive, C4, the court document stated.
“He returned with the C4, built the bomb and attempted to detonate it in a wooded area near Broadview and Cummer Avenues in Toronto,” the court document stated.
“He was unsuccessful in detonating the bomb. Police believe the reason he was unsuccessful is because what he purchased in Vancouver was not a plastic explosive, but was fake,” the document stated.
Tsui’s computer revealed a number of videos and pictures (to be detailed in court at a later date) and also the “Anarchist’s Cookbook.”
When police asked Tsui about weapons and other items found in his apartment, he said he did it “for the country.”
Tsui, dressed in a dark grey suit and sporting a thin moustache, looked straight ahead and spoke softly as he pleaded guilty to possession of a restricted, loaded firearm and other gun and drug offences in front of Justice Mary Hogan. He did not face any terrorism-related charges.
Crown attorney Mihael Cole said he’ll seek a psychiatric assessment for Tsui, but defence lawyer T. J. Partington said he’ll oppose the request when the sentencing hearing starts April 16.
Gene Cabral, executive vice-president of Toronto Port Authority and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, said the facility is “constantly evaluating its security measures to ensure the safety of its passengers and the surrounding community.
“We have safeguarded security measures in place throughout the passenger process, from parking to ferry to check-in to gate, and we will continue to evaluate our systems to ensure they meet and exceed all safety considerations,” Cabral said.
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