Posted on 02/19/2005 8:49:46 AM PST by UpHereEh
MONTREAL (CP) - A suspected terrorist jailed on allegations that he is a sleeper agent for al-Qaida was released Friday on $50,000 bail after 21 months in detention.
Adil Charkaoui, 31, was driven out of the Riviere-des-Prairies detention centre by his lawyer. His family then drove up in a van and, in an emotional reunion, got out to kiss and hug him in the street. His young daughter carried a bouquet of flowers.
"I want to say thank you to all the people who helped me to have my freedom," Charkaoui told reporters. "People from coast to coast, from British Columbia, from Ontario and especially from Quebec . . . .
"I thank all the people that trusted me."
But Charkaoui won't enjoy total freedom. He'll have to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and there will be limits on who he can contact.
The bracelet was not available at the time of his release and will be installed in coming days.
"We don't know exactly what the reason was," his lawyer Dominique Larochelle said. "I think they weren't exactly prepared, but they decided not to penalize Mr. Charkaoui."
Charkaoui said he would respect all the conditions of his release and was eager to prove his innocence.
"I was never a threat to security," he said. "I've lived 10 years in this country and I've always acted as a good citizen. Even if I didn't have citizenship, I always respected the laws of this country."
Federal Court Justice Simon Noel ruled Thursday that Charkaoui could be released.
Noel, who said Charkaoui seems to pose little threat to national security, is forcing the Moroccan native to respect a curfew, stay with his family and limit his computer use. Noel will also review every three months the risk of Charkaoui remaining free.
Charkaoui will return to court next week as the federal government defends the validity of the security certificate that was used to keep him detained since May 2003.
A review of the detention order against him is also scheduled for the coming weeks.
Hearings are expected to extend into April.
The security certificate, a controversial provision of the Immigration Act, means most of the evidence against him is known only by the government and the judge.
Charkaoui has denied any links to terrorists.
But jailed millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam and terrorist Abou Zubaida, also in detention in the United States, identified him as the man they met at a training camp in Afghanistan in 1998.
The $50,000 bail was raised by several people, including Oscar-winning filmmaker Denys Arcand; Alexandre Trudeau, son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau; singer Bruce Cockburn; and former cabinet ministers Warren Allmand and Flora MacDonald.
Anne McLellan, minister of public safety and emergency preparedness, has said the government "absolutely" considers Charkaoui a threat to national security but would not elaborate on her reasons.
Are there limits on how high bail can be set?
If the government wants to keep someone, wouldn't they make the bail mire?
Maybe they want him out so they can watch him.
Well, here's hoping there is a method in their madness...
If even the Canadian govt. considers him a threat, he is a flat out slam dunk terrorist and definite threat.
I will be very surprised if he doesn't skip out. If he does, the Judge who lallowed bail and the twits who put it up ought to have to serve his time.
SO9
Are Canada's rules for bail the same as the USA - where you only have to post 10% to get out? Or do you have to come up with the whole amount?
I'm not exactly sure, but I think it varies case by case. From what I've read they are required to post the entire amount when it's a federal crime. Can you believe that they didn't have a tracking device available so they released him without it? Sheesh, where are their priorities?
Another illustration of the Left's love of terrorists.
BBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Something stinks here.
I will now be deleteing the Cockburn tunes I have on my PC..
Ping
al Qaeda in al Qanada shocking.
Shhhhhhh, nobody look in Vancouver. Shhhhh.
It would appear he has a perfect opportunity to flee. :o(
Darn. I guessed ACLU.
Maybe they are going to let him escape. Maybe they are using him. Who knows...
France? Haven't read the article yet, just couldn't resist.
Canada :o(
Son. Of. A. Batch.
It would appear to be exactly what someone wants him to do.
As far as the law is concerned, in the US you have to post the full amount. What happens is that a Bail Bondsman puts up 90% and you 10%, but you also have to pay for the BB's time, trouble, and risk.
It really says a lot about the liberals' position in the war on terror when the son of a former liberal prime minister posts the bail for a terrorist.
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