DEFENDANT WRONGLY ID'd, COURT HEARS

The RCMP handler of the man hired to infiltrate the Hells Angels has
admitted that one of two men charged with drug trafficking was not
initially a target of police.

Insp. Gary Shinkaruk also testified last week that Nima Ghavami was
wrongly identified by police surveillance as entering an apartment to
pick up one kilogram of methamphetamines.

Shinkaruk made the admissions during an application by lawyers for
Ghavami and Ronaldo Lising to have their charges stayed, on the
grounds that police agent Michael Plante committed unauthorized crimes.

Ghavami's lawyer, Don Morrison, pointed to a so-called target book,
which came out in April 2004 and was updated in May 2004, and asked
Shinkaruk if Ghavami's name is present.

"I do not see Mr. Ghavami's name in it," replied the officer, who
added that he had limited dealings with the case at the time.

Shinkaruk, a Mountie for 19 years, said at one point that he believes
Plante saw Ghavami as a friend and was hopeful that Ghavami would not
be prosecuted.

"At some point, his concern, friendship with Ghavami, was not the
same," he added.

Plante was hired in April 2004 and offered up to $1 million to target
members of the East End chapter of the motorcycle club.

Shinkaruk also admitted that Ghavami was wrongly identified in
surveillance photographs entering an apartment with a group that
intended to remove meth in August 2004.

The officer said the police cover team set up to handle Plante had to
be changed to accommodate Plante, who he described as being
"difficult" to get along with.

He said he felt it was an "unfair situation" to put in officers who
might not mesh well with Plante.

"Did he take direction well?" asked Morrison. "At times, at times
not," replied Shinkaruk.

"Was his temper, did he get mad quickly?" said Morrison. "At times he
got mad very quickly," said Shinkaruk.

"On occasion, would he shout and swear at you,?" said the lawyer.
"Yes," said the Mountie.

In earlier testimony, the issue of Ghavami's exact status with the
Hells Angels was raised by Morrison in cross-examination of Plante.
Ghavami has been described by police as an "associate" of the club,
and Morrison pressed Plante to come up with examples, with Plante
quickly citing three such examples.

Plante finished three weeks of testimony Friday. Originally the
application as a whole -- with all witnesses -- was scheduled for two
weeks, but so far only two witnesses have testified.

The trial continues tomorrow with more testimony from Shinkaruk.