VANCOUVER – The lawyer for the couple accused of plotting to bomb the B.C. legislature on Canada Day says there were “elements” of entrapment involved in the police investigation implicating his clients in a terror attack.

“As to whether or not it sufficiently constitutes the legal definition of entrapment, that remains to be seen,” Tom Morino said Tuesday outside B.C. Provincial Court in Surrey, where Amanda Korody and John Nuttall made a brief court appearance.

Based on the evidence he’s seen, Morino said it’s likely police employed a “Mr. Big” operation to help make their case.

Such an operation involves using undercover officers posing as criminals to invite suspects to participate in offences.

The RCMP described the pair as “self-radicalized” and inspired by al-Qaida ideology, but Morino said police were not being objective.

“Many of the comments were a bit over the top,” he said. “Perhaps the radicalization was assisted by others.”

The suspects, who were arrested July 1 in Abbotsford, B.C., smiled at one another when they entered the secure courtroom.

“They were married under the Islamic faith and they’re very devoted to each other,” the defence lawyer said.

Morino is representing Korody on an interim basis and has advised her to seek other counsel while he continues to represent Nuttall.

He added there’s little incentive for either to plead guilty because of minimum mandatory sentencing involved in terrorism-related charges. He expects a jury trial in the coming months.

Nuttall, 38, who clutched a Qur’an in court, is going “cold turkey” while withdrawing from methadone, according to Morino.

The Crown asked to push the case up to B.C. Supreme Court, the defence agreed and the accused are expected to appear in court Wednesday morning.

Morino said he plans to request an adjournment so he can have several months to review all the evidence.

The defence lawyer said he spoke to Nuttall’s mother Monday evening, and she's having trouble accepting her son was involved in such a plot.

“As I said to her, ‘You know, the extent of the involvement remains to be determined.’”

Korody and Nuttall are charged with facilitating a terrorist activity, possession of an explosive device and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Mounties said they had been monitoring the couple for months as they allegedly built “inert” homemade explosive devices under the “tight control” of RCMP, which they planned to detonate at Victoria's legislative buildings during a Canada Day event.