John Nuttall and Amanda Korody are shown in a still image taken from RCMP undercover video. The trial for a husband and wife accused of plotting to bomb the B.C. legislature on Canada Day heard they were worried their plan would be hampered if they ran out of methadone.HO/The Canadian Press
As they travel from store to store buying the pressure cookers they need for their alleged plot to bomb the B.C. legislature grounds on Canada Day, John Nuttall and Amanda Korody are seen on video being chauffeured by an undercover RCMP officer.
Through the first four days of the couple's B.C. Supreme Court trial, the officer's presence has been hard to miss. He has been the only witness to testify, and the court has watched hours of video of him driving the accused. He at times buys them drinks from Tim Hortons, or groceries, and listens to their concerns about their cat.
The officer, who cannot be identified, also plays a role in shaping the eventual plot.
He tells the accused he will soon head overseas for Ramadan, which seems to increase their urgency. He also talks them out of getting guns and storming a Victoria-area military base. The officer has testified police needed to ensure the plan was something they could control.
Mr. Nuttall's lawyer earlier asked the jury to focus on the relationship between police involved in the case and her client. She also told the jury to pay careful attention to what officers say to the accused about building the devices.
Mr. Nuttall and Ms. Korody, who were arrested on July 1, 2013, have pleaded not guilty to four charges. The court has heard police first targeted Mr. Nuttall in February of that year, although it has not been made clear why.
The court on Thursday watched undercover video from June 26, 2013. Mr. Nuttall and Ms. Korody appear to be leaving their home for some stretch of time. Mr. Nuttall mentions he has left several days of food for the cat and worries the couple will run out of methadone.
Mr. Nuttall also asks the officer if the scopes from his paintball guns will come in handy. Ms. Korody floats the idea of buying wigs.
The accused and the officer can be seen travelling to several stores to buy the pressure cookers. They had planned to go earlier, but Mr. Nuttall had to wait for a cheque to arrive. Although the officer incurred other expenses, he has repeatedly told the accused they must pay for the pressure cookers.
The undercover officer testified earlier that he told Mr. Nuttall he was a businessman looking for his niece. He said Mr. Nuttall agreed to help and, before long, said he wanted to participate in jihad.
The Crown has said Mr. Nuttall was told by police he did not have to go through with the plot, but chose to do so. Mr. Nuttall was earlier heard telling the officer he would have participated in jihad even if the two had not met.
At one point in the video played on Thursday, Mr. Nuttall says he still wants to attack the military base. The undercover officer tells him another person who knows about their intentions, a "brother," does not believe that is necessary.
At another point in the footage, Mr. Nuttall says, "We're not going any further until we get some guns." The officer, who earlier said guns might be difficult to acquire, suggests they are not needed for the pressure-cooker plot.
The officer soon after mentions that the couple will need to pose for photos for fake passports, a statement that appears to make Mr. Nuttall smile.
The Crown has said three pressure-cooker bombs were left in planters outside the legislature, but the RCMP had ensured they were inert.
In talking about the plot, Mr. Nuttall can be heard in the video saying, "We're planting bombs. We're not planting flowers here." Seconds later, he says they should put the devices in flower pots.
Mr. Nuttall was heard on earlier video saying he hoped the attack would "cause people to rethink their position of sending troops overseas to kill Muslims."
In Thursday's video, he also lashed out at the Canadian government's stand on Palestine, referencing the date of the alleged attack.
"It's because of Canada that Palestine doesn't get a Palestine Day," he said. "So why should Canada get a Canada Day?"