Abstract

Toronto newspapers were quick to deliver opinions when 18 suspects were arrested on terrorism charges in 2006. An analysis of 225 columns, editorials and letters to the editor shows that a significant portion of the published commentary raised unreasonable public alarm, cast suspicion on the followers of a major religion and impugned Islam itself, failed to subject the allegations of the Canadian government and security officials to rigorous scrutiny, and predicted guilt before the suspects were able to exercise their democratic rights to a fair trial.