Rob Ford crack scandal: Other man pictured with mayor hurt in fatal shooting One of the men in a photo of Mayor Rob Ford and homicide victim Anthony Smith was injured in the same shooting that killed Smith, the Star has learned. By: Robyn Doolittle City Hall, Amy Dempsey GTA, Published on Tue May 28 2013 One of the men in a controversial photo of Mayor Rob Ford and homicide victim Anthony Smith was injured in the same shooting that claimed Smith’s life, the Star has learned. Muhammad Khattak, a 19-year-old living in north Etobicoke, was hit in the arm and back the same night Smith was killed two months ago outside a King St. nightclub. A photo of Ford arm in arm with three young men was given to the Star by a man who later showed this paper a cellphone video of Ford smoking from what appears to be a crack pipe. Two sources, one with the Toronto police and another involved in politics, tell the Star homicide detectives are now investigating whether that phone originally belonged to 21-year-old Smith. (There is no indication Khattak or the third young man is involved in either the video or the drug trade.) Khattak’s mother, who identified herself as Zen, said she asked Khattak what he was doing in the nighttime photo, in which Ford is casually dressed and Smith is apparently drinking. “He said: ‘Was I drinking? Was I smoking? Did you see anything with me?’ ” she said. Zen said Khattak told her everybody wanted to take photos with the mayor. He would not give her any more details about the night. The Star was contacted about the footage four days after Smith’s death. Khattak’s mother said she has no idea how her son or Smith ended up involved in a shooting. “I’m still shocked. This kid was a very good kid too,” she said, gesturing to Smith’s photo, her eyes puffy and pink. “My son, I know him, he’s a very innocent kid. They’re friends. They’re having fun, whatever they’re doing outside. But I know them — they are nice kids. They are very nice.” She said the duo have been friends since they were as young as 10. They used to play on the same basketball team. “It’s not safe, Toronto,” she said. Khattak recently left his family home to avoid attention generated by the photo’s publication. A Facebook profile under one of his nicknames is peppered with photos of Smith and tributes to the young man. “RIP Big Bro,” reads a caption on one photo, posted April 7, of a man wearing jeans and a dark hooded sweatshirt who appears to be Smith. “Forever In My Heart Mourn Till We Join You General. . . ” Another photo shows a tribute spray-painted at the centre of a community basketball court in Dixon Park. “R.I.P. RONDO,” it reads. Rondo was one of Smith’s nicknames. The two men were shot outside Loki Lounge nightclub on King St. W. near Portland St., sometime after 2:30 a.m. on March 28. Nisar Hashimi, 23, turned himself in April 4 after he was named a suspect. He has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the death of Smith and shooting of Khattak. During a recent visit to the Toronto jail, a reporter was told by Hashimi he had never heard of or seen Smith until he was charged in his murder. “I’m innocent,” he said. “I don’t know these guys. . . . I don’t know why I’m here.” Hashimi said all he knows about Smith is what he has read in the newspaper since the drug allegations about Ford have surfaced. Two weeks ago, the Star revealed that two reporters had viewed a 90-second cellphone video that appears to show the mayor smoking crack cocaine. A group of Somali-Canadian drug dealers who claim to have sold the drug to Ford on numerous occasions, offered to sell the video to the Star for $100,000. They also approached the American gossip website, Gawker. Its editor, John Cook, also viewed and wrote about the video. Ford dismissed the stories as “ridiculous” the day after both ran, but it took a week before he issued a full denial. On his Sunday radio show, when a female caller asked him to explain the photo, Ford said he takes photos with “everybody.” “That’s very sad, that she’s a racist,” the mayor said afterward, referring to the fact that the three men in the photo are all minorities. Both the Star and Gawker declined to pay for the footage. After the contents of the video were made public, the dealers raised their price to $200,000. Gawker launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the money. It met its goal just hours ahead of deadline. Neither the Star nor Gawker has been in touch with the men selling the video for a week. A broker who is acting on their behalf is still in touch and says the dealers are “laying low.” Robyn Doolittle can be reached on her cellphone, 647-404-4740, or by email rdoolittle@thestar.ca

So this is a big change from outright denial of the video's existence: Rob Ford video scandal: Deputy mayor says he believes Star reporter But Holyday questions whether Ford video is authentic, hope it turns up so it can be tested. By: David Rider Urban Affairs Bureau Chief, Published on Tue May 28 2013 Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday says that, after speaking to Star reporter Robyn Doolittle, he believes there is a video that appears to show Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack cocaine. However, Holyday told reporters at city hall on Tuesday that he is not yet convinced the video actually shows Ford taking drugs. Holyday said he was convinced by Doolittle during a “general conversation,” in the Star’s city hall bureau last week. “She took the time to assure me that she had seen the video and that she believed it . . . “I believe that there’s a tape all right because she told me there was a tape and I believe what she said. It’s whether the tape is authentic or not. “I haven’t seen the tape and I think the only way to know to really know if the tape is authentic, and to satisfy everyone, is for it to be found and analyzed and then we would know exactly what we’re dealing with.” Ford has adamantly declared that there is no cellphone video even though Doolittle and colleague Kevin Donovan both say they were shown it in a car in Etobicoke on May 3. John Cook, editor in chief of U.S. website Gawker, says he was also shown the video and described it in similar terms. On his Sunday afternoon radio show, Ford told a caller: “Number one, there’s no video, so that’s all I can say. You can’t comment on something that doesn’t exist.” Asked if it is a problem that Toronto’s mayor says there is no video and his deputy mayor says there is a video, although it may not be what it appears, Holyday said: “I don’t think so because I don’t think the mayor has talked to anybody at the Star, I’m sure he hasn’t. “From his standpoint he claims that he was not in the video, that he knows nothing of the video and that he believes that the video does not exist. Well, that’s his opinion based on his opinion on what he’s been told and what he believes. “I, on the other hand, have talked to Robyn Doolittle and I believe Robyn Doolittle saw a video, that’s all I’m saying. Whether it’s authentic or not, is another question . . . Nobody will know until we find the video.” Holyday said he believes that the Star should have bought the cellphone video from the drug dealers who were offering it. However, he understands Doolittle’s response that she did not have the authority to do that. Media organizations often pay $500 for a good picture shot by a freelancer. The video owners were asking for “six figures”, an intermediary said.

Nin-Yaaban;956026 wrote: So lemme ask you this, if he resigns or stays on and fights, what is't to you? Is this going to change ur life one way or the other? I think he's incompetent and an embarrassment to the city. My mom also works for the city of Toronto so I've seen what his spending cuts have done to city services directly. But most importantly I am frustrated by the class and race dynamics of this story, in the way in which white boys can sell and use drugs but grow up to become elected politicians, while black boys end up in jail or dead. Peace to Kipling and Dixon for keeping the city holding its breath

You're right, it's been 11 days now I think. Politicians have resigned over much smaller issues to avoid further embarrassment, but this man is too stubborn to leave. Maybe it's the crack. But the implosion is inevitable, just need to keep waiting it out because new things happen each day (two of his aides resigned yesterday), and I have no doubt the video will surface at some point.

Have any of you ever seen postcards in Somalia? lool I just got a postcard from a friend in Uganda, and I was just thinking about how I'd love to send people postcards from Somalia sometime. If they don't exist, someone should get on it. I could make one out of my Laas Geel photo

Happy birthday Rob Ford, you fat b*stard you!

Cambuulo iyo bun;955985 wrote: Asaalamu 3aleeykum Waa Ra7mah Bismillah, Al7amdulilah Wa salaatu Wa salaam 3alaa Rasuulilah Ama ba3d Walaalayaal salaanta islaamka kedib, i want to inform y'all that exactly a week ago our dear friend Oba Hiloowlow got banned so i want to share something about the great mans life. Who was Oba? Oba Hiloowlow lived a remarkable life, one that inspired me greatly. His adventurous attitude, his broad range of interests, and his happy demeanor made him a wonderful person to know. He was patient, and generous with his time and affection. Oba pursued his many endeavours diligently, and always rose to meet a challenge. I always felt that he expected the same of me, too.' He extended this philosophy no matter what obstacle he faced. I have always admired this trait. The strength of his character showed even in criticism. With a few wry words, my best friend could be far more damning than most people could achieve with any strong language. I'll miss the news of his strange adventures, and I'll miss the stories from the seven continents he visited; I'll miss the tales of the mighty Unuka; about his old friends; and his 'cantarabaqash'. Stories he told again and again, in the same exacting detail with every telling. I'll miss his perspective and his gentle humour. I'll miss the surprising depth and scope of his knowledge. I'll miss the warmth he extended to everyone he met. I will miss my best friend dearly. But I will treasure his memory forever. Ilaahoow ku naxariiso Oba!!! How dare you post this in that cesspool of a thread they call the cantarbaqash corner? I miss oba too, my best friend and the love of my life

Thanks for sharing this N.O.R.F. Since I learned how to use GIS software I've spent a lot of time messing around with it and making maps, it's amazing technology

What is he doing here? :mad:

Not a fan of the Canadian Somali Congress but I'm glad CBC radio had this conversation:

Rob Ford Video Copies Out There, Toronto Star's Robyn Doolittle Says Gawker may have lost touch with the people who have the alleged Toronto Mayor Rob Ford video, but other copies of the footage exist. At least that's what Robyn Doolittle, The Toronto Star's city hall reporter, said in a radio interview Monday. "My information is that there is another copy of it," Doolittle said on the Dean Blundell Show on 102.1 The Edge. "Actually, there's at least one other copy, there might be two other copies," Doolittle said. "One is out of the city, and one is somewhere else." Doolittle is one of three people claiming to have seen the alleged video — along with her Star colleague Kevin Donovan and Gawker's John Cook. The three claim the video, which they said had been shopped around by men seeking "six figures" for it, shows Ford smoking illicit drugs from a glass pipe, which they describe as a "crack pipe." Ford has denied he uses crack or that the video exists. The new information came hours before Gawker reached its $200,000 fundraising goal on its "Crackstarter" to purchase the video. Doolittle added that the paper is "getting calls from people who have seen it as well." "It is circulating," she said. On his weekend radio show, Ford denied the video exists. "Number one: There's no video, so that's all I can say. You can't comment on something that doesn't exist."

SomaliPhilosopher;955744 wrote: Yea his fellowship is over. Now he is doing another program at a university in Minnesota. Ayaan lives in Boston? Interesting I thought she lived somewhere in Europe. Enlighten us saffy on the acclaimed T dot residents She's married to and has a child with Niall Ferguson, who is a Harvard prof. Wadani covered some of the Toronto folks earlier in the thread: Wadani;907688 wrote: Toronto has a lot of famous singers such as, Jubba Xasan aadan samatar Birimo Saynab Laba-dhagax Nakruuma Dalays Abdi-Jabbaar Al-Khaleeji I'm sure K'Naan must have a Toronto home, too. It's difficult to decide who is "famous" though, but we certainly have prominent Somalis in Toronto.

He left Boston University? Ayaan Hirsi lives in the Boston area, unfortunately.

Jacpher;955738 wrote: Why speculate when you got the source a click away? Speculate what? I'm not interested in his academic credentials, I've never questioned them and I was curious as to why nuune made that claim. What I'm interested in is learning more about this institute beyond what their publications/materials say or what their staff would be willing to share with me, and this thread has already helped with that.

Who is interrogating nuune? If nuune makes a claim, it can be discussed, questioned and refuted by others. Thanks SP.

Mario B;955726 wrote: From Nuune's post it doesn't say Aynte claims to have BA or MA, but that his institutions wants qualified fellows. He quoted the website for the institute's fellowship requirements, then went on to say that the founder of the group is a dropout.

Thanks LayZie. Nuune, why would someone in a position so public lie about have a BA and MA, when it can be verified?

Interesting.

Tallaabo;955641 wrote: Saffy I doubt you will ever find any information about their funding. They are probably one more organ of the many competing foreign regimes who are there on the ground to influence the affairs of the people of Somalia. I was hoping some SOLers may know or have heard some things

Wadani;955683 wrote: Does anyone else find his son Jaden to be extremely annoying? Both his kids annoy me, although I did like that "Whip My Hair" song.

I see a cultural (and possibly generational) divide in this thread re: perceptions of Will Smith and reaction to this clip. Anyone who grew up watching the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (a.k.a 90s kids living in North America) will love it.

ElPunto;955650 wrote: ^Doesn't their coming forward to claim the money create a whole lot of interest from the police - re the drugs issues? I wonder how much the tape is worth to the Ford family - may have been better to shop it around to them. They have a product (an iPhone with a video), and they're selling that product. It wouldn't be done publicly but through the informants in place that have been communicating with Gawker and the Toronto Star, and if they're smart, they'd be in the US right now. Well done Toronto.

Peace Tallaabo

underdog;955642 wrote: But Jaamac and the iphone could be anywhere from Edmonton to Xarardhere Or dead, but I hope not. Gawker should hold on to the funds for 30 days or so to see if the owners resurface once they know the money is on the table. But we do know there are other copies of the video out there, and that the Toronto Star (and I assume other media outlets) are working on acquiring, as the journalists who covered the story said earlier today.

Boom, $200k.