SURREY: The Surrey couple charged with plotting a terrorist attack against the BC legislature on Canada Day appeared in Surrey provincial court this (Tuesday) morning, according to this report in The Vancouver Sun by Tiffany Crawford.

John Stewart Nuttall, 38, and Amanda Korody, 29, appeared at 9:30 a.m., but Crown counsel Martha Devlin said the Crown has decided to go with a direct indictment, which means the case will go directly to Supreme Court. The pair will be transported to BC Supreme Court in Vancouver tomorrow morning at 10 am. They are being held in segregation at separate holding centres.

Nuttall appeared in court clutching a copy of the Koran. His hair was disheveled, he sported a long beard and appeared shaky. His lawyer, Tom Marino said Nuttall is coming off methadone and going cold turkey. He said his client is receiving some medication to deal with his discomfort. When Karody arrived, sitting in court across from Nuttall, the pair smiled at each other. Karody kept her eyes lowered and did not look at the dozens of reporters that packed the small courtroom.

Marino said he spoke to his client last night but hasn’t had much contact with Karody because she has been directed to seek different counsel.

“You can appreciate anyone in custody is not overjoyed with their circumstances but I think (Nuttall) is doing as well as can be expected,” said Marino.

They are both being held in 23-hour lock down, with only one hour allowed outside.

“It’s my understanding that the correctional system has made that decision for their own security,” he said.

Nuttall is being held at the Surrey Pretrial Centre, while Karody is at the Alouette Centre for Women.

Marino said he anticipates both will plead not guilty.

He said he was not surprised by the pair smiling at each other in court.

“They were married under the Islamic faith and they are very devoted to each,” he said.

Marino added that he has concerns that many of the police comments made following the arrests, including linking the pair with the concept of self-radicalization, were not objective.

“I think in the fullness of time, the evidence will come out that will, perhaps, undermine some of what they were suggesting,” he said.

Karody and Nuttall were arrested last Monday in Abbotsford and are charged with knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity, possession of an explosive substance and conspiring to commit an indictable offence.

RCMP allege Nuttall and Karody were “self-radicalized” and that they acted alone but were inspired by al-Qaida. Mounties also accuse the pair of taking steps to educate themselves and produce explosive devices designed to cause maximum injury and death.

At a dramatic news conference last week, investigators showed photos of pressure cooker bombs that Nuttall and Korody allegedly assembled for detonation outside the B.C. legislature.

Although the devices were similar to those used in the Boston Marathon bombings in April, the RCMP said there was no connection between the two cases.

Nuttall has a criminal record that includes a 2010 conviction for possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He also has convictions for robbery, mischief, kidnapping and breaching probation conditions.

Their landlandy Shanti Thaman has described them as recovering drug addicts who got regular methodone deliveries from the pharmacy.