UPDATE 2-Train derailment plotters sentenced to life in prison in Canada

(New throughout, adds details, comments from prosecutor,
defense lawyer, amicus)
By Alastair Sharp
TORONTO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A Toronto court on Wednesday
sentenced two men to life in prison for plotting to derail a
passenger train between New York and Toronto, with the judge
saying they had no remorse for violent plans meant to cause fear
and alter Canada's foreign policy.
Tunisian postdoctoral student Chiheb Esseghaier, 33, and
Raed Jaser, a 37-year-old permanent Canadian resident of
Palestinian descent, were given the maximum sentence for
conspiracy to commit murder and participation in a terrorist
group. The judge said they showed no remorse and little prospect
for rehabilitation.
Each was also sentenced to additional time behind bars for
lesser charges, minus time served, and will be eligible for
parole after 10 years.
"I am satisfied that life imprisonment is the appropriate
sentence," Justice Michael Code said in handing down the
sentences for plots "designed to result in indiscriminate
killings".
The men were found guilty in March after a trial that relied
heavily on the evidence of an undercover FBI agent who
befriended the pair and recorded conversations about the train
plot and other violent plans, including targeting political
leaders. ID:nL2N0WM1WV
Crown prosecutor Croft Michaelson, speaking outside the
court after sentencing, said: "If you commit terrorist offences
in Canada with the intention of causing indiscriminate killing,
you are going to pay a very heavy price."
Jaser's lawyer, John Norris, said his client would appeal.
"We are disappointed with the sentence that was imposed, we
do view it as excessive. We have instructions to appeal the
conviction as well as the sentence," he said.
Esseghaier did not retain legal counsel, and the amicus
assigned to him, Russell Silverstein, did not say whether an
appeal would be launched on his behalf.
He said Esseghaier is mentally ill and needs psychiatric
treatment he will struggle to receive in a penitentiary.
Esseghaier had refused to acknowledge the court's authority
and argued the Koran should be its sole legal reference.
After guilty verdicts were reached, Esseghaier started
speaking of Dec. 25, 2014 as a pivotal date when his soul would
ascend to heaven and Jesus Christ would return to Earth.
He believed prison officials were trying to trick him into
believing it was already 2015.
Justice Code said it was difficult to say whether Esseghaier
was delusional, but that he was of sound mind during the
planning of the plot. He refused to postpone sentencing until it
could be determined that Esseghaier had a mental illness.