The cab driver who picked up a man suspected of plotting an attack on a major Canadian city is questioning why police didn鈥檛 stop the terrorist sympathizer from getting in his cab, saying his life was in jeopardy.
Terry Duffield said that Aaron Driver, a regular customer, entered his car in Strathroy, Ont., last Wednesday and pre-paid $55 for a ride to a London mall. Duffield says it wasn鈥檛 until the vehicle began to back out of the driveway that heavily armed officers appeared.
鈥淚 just started yelling, 鈥業鈥檓 just the driver!鈥� because I didn鈥檛 want the cops to shoot me,鈥� he told CTV London.
Duffield said he was reaching for a pack of cigarettes when a bomb went off in the back seat. The move, he said, may have saved his life. Duffield said he then exited the car and lay down with his face against the pavement.
Autopsy results later revealed that Driver, who made a video saying that he planned to attack a major city with a homemade bomb, died from gunshot wounds.
Photos later released by the RCMP show the cab鈥檚 interior ravaged by the explosion.
Duffield called the ordeal 鈥渢errorizing鈥� and said he won鈥檛 drive a taxi again. He鈥檚 since suffered from back pain and anxiety and is taking several medications. He has contacted a lawyer and is considering taking legal action against the police.
鈥淭hey had, like, a five-minute window to get me away from the situation. They didn鈥檛 try to warn me, they didn鈥檛 try to get me out of the car. They did absolutely nothing,鈥� he said.
In an interview with police, Duffield said he asked officers point-blank why they didn鈥檛 intervene earlier.
鈥淚 said, 鈥楴ow I have a question for you 鈥� In all of this, who took my life into consideration? Why was my life jeopardized? And the response that I got to that was a pause, then it was, 鈥楧on鈥檛 know.鈥� Then the next comment was, 鈥楽till under investigation.鈥欌��
Police officers, including a SWAT team and a bomb squad, attended the Strathroy house after being tipped off by the FBI.
Driver had been ordered by a court not to associate with any terrorist groups or to use a computer or cellphone. He was not under constant surveillance, despite concerns that he could be involved with a terrorist group.
A private, 鈥渘on-religious鈥� funeral was held for Driver on Thursday, according to a local mosque that reached out to Driver鈥檚 family and offered their support. Driver鈥檚 family declined, the mosque said.
With files from CTV London and The Canadian Press
