Suspect granted bail in Chesham Place weapons and explosives investigation

Another suspect in a significant weapons and explosives investigation has been granted bail. Feiyang (Astrid) Ji, 21, was released from court just after 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Ji is one of four individuals taken into custody following a London police search of a home on Chesham Place in north London late last January.

The search was prompted by an attempted break-in at the engineering building at Western University.

Details surrounding the case are currently protected by a court publication ban.

The terms of Ji’s release include strict conditions designed to ensure public safety and the integrity of the investigation. She is prohibited from being on Western University property.

Furthermore, Ji is forbidden from communicating with her three co-accused: Jerry Tong, 27; Fei (Frank) Han, 25; and Zekun Wang, 26. She is also barred from possessing any weapons or explosives.

Zekun Wang was granted bail at the beginning of March.

The court proceedings on Thursday began in a separate courtroom, where Ji appeared with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter. Her lawyer, Nicola Circelli, requested the hearing to voice concerns about the limited disclosure provided by the Crown Attorney’s Office.

“I’m concerned that my client’s 11B rights are being violated without fulsome disclosure in an entire manner,” Circelli told the court. “She’s been in custody for almost two months. All I’ve received to date is a synopsis, an exhibit list, and a couple of YouTube videos.”

Assistant Crown Attorney Cara Douglas informed the court that more extensive disclosure was being released as the hearing progressed. Douglas also highlighted the considerable scope of the evidence collection, stating it comprised “nearly 3,000 pages of paper, many hours of interviews and there are over 2,000 photos.”

It was learned during the proceedings that Circelli and Crown Attorney’s Office representatives had met on March 17 and agreed upon the terms for Ji’s bail conditions. Justice Kevin McHugh requested the matter be handled in bail court, where Justice Chantal Bertrand ultimately approved the conditions.

Ji is scheduled to return to court on April 23.