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Canada Apologizes to Deportation Victim
Bellsouth News ^ | 1/26/07 | BETH DUFF-BROWN

Posted on 01/26/2007 1:34:40 PM PST by pitinkie

TORONTO (AP) - The prime minister apologized Friday to a Syrian-born Canadian and said he would be compensated $8.9 million for Ottawa's role in his deportation by U.S. authorities to Damascus, where he was tortured and imprisoned for nearly a year.

He was exonerated in September after a two-year public inquiry led by Associate Chief Justice of Ontario Dennis O'Connor. It found that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police wrongly labeled Arar as an Islamic fundamentalist and passed misleading and inaccurate information to U.S. authorities, which very likely led to Arar's arrest and deportation.

The U.S. government insists it has reasons to keep him on its watchlists.

In February 2006, the U.S. District Court of Appeals dismissed Arar's lawsuit against U.S. government officials, ruling his deportation was protected on national security grounds. His attorneys with the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights filed an appeal in December.

Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, this month scolded Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for refusing to explain why the United States had sent a Canadian citizen to Syria.

In a recent letter to Day, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and Gonzales said U.S. files indicate the decision to keep Arar on watchlists is "appropriate."

"Our conclusion in this regard is supported by information developed by U.S. law enforcement agencies that is independent of that provided to us by Canada with regard to Mr. Arar," the letter said, adding that they wished to thank Canada for its cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., condemned the Bush administration for not removing Arar from the watchlists, saying he was "wronged in a terrible way by our government and by the government of Canada."

___

(Excerpt) Read more at home.bellsouth.net ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government
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1 posted on 01/26/2007 1:34:43 PM PST by pitinkie
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To: pitinkie

Is he ONLY a Canadian citizen, or is he a Syrian/Canadian citizen. If he's not a Syrian citizen, then he shouldn't have been sent to Syria.


2 posted on 01/26/2007 1:38:03 PM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: lepton
More at his website: http://www.maherarar.ca/
3 posted on 01/26/2007 1:49:54 PM PST by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: lepton; GMMAC; Pikamax; Former Proud Canadian; Great Dane; Alberta's Child; headsonpikes; Ryle; ...
He holds both Syrian and Canadian citizenship, and was traveling on the Syrian passport when apprehended.

Canada ping.

Please send me a FReepmail to get on or off this Canada ping list.

4 posted on 01/26/2007 1:54:22 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: fanfan
He holds both Syrian and Canadian citizenship, and was traveling on the Syrian passport when apprehended.

Sounds fair enough!

5 posted on 01/26/2007 2:09:30 PM PST by Irish_Thatcherite (A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
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To: fanfan
He holds both Syrian and Canadian citizenship, and was traveling on the Syrian passport when apprehended.

Well, then it makes legal sense that he was sent to Syria (by the U.S.). He was being deported (based upon Canadian warnings), and Canada considered him a threat to their national security but wasn't intending on imprisoning him.

6 posted on 01/26/2007 2:15:58 PM PST by lepton ("It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into"--Jonathan Swift)
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To: Irish_Thatcherite

He should try suing Syria.


7 posted on 01/26/2007 2:17:16 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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To: pitinkie
"The prime minister apologized Friday to a Syrian-born Canadian and said he would be compensated $8.9 million for Ottawa's role in his deportation by U.S. authorities .."


i am surprised the Prime Minister didn't just offer to let the guy cut his throat. Muslims everywhere are laughing at him. Canada is doomed if most Canadians agree with their Prime Minister.
8 posted on 01/26/2007 2:32:14 PM PST by monday
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To: pitinkie
From the text.

It found that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police wrongly labeled Arar as an Islamic fundamentalist and passed misleading and inaccurate information to US authorities,which very likely lead to Arar's arrest and deportation.

Some points need to be made on this case.

(1) It was not the present Conservative government that was in power, at the time of the Arar debacle.

(2)Maher had co-signed a rental agreement for a man who needed an apartment. The man was later found to be a terrorist. Maher said he just got talked into it. He say he did not know the man.

(3) Strange how this man wants to travel in the United States after his constant barrage.

(4) It was his native country that did what he has claimed. He has acted as if Canada and the USA are to blame.

Something not quite right. How many Canadian citizens are a no-entry into the United States? Many of them. He is a pretty big player and the press is to blame.

9 posted on 01/26/2007 2:37:07 PM PST by Peter Libra
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To: fanfan

He'll get far....


10 posted on 01/26/2007 2:37:28 PM PST by Irish_Thatcherite (A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
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To: fanfan
He holds both Syrian and Canadian citizenship, and was traveling on the Syrian passport when apprehended.

Next time he better use his Canadian passport.

11 posted on 01/26/2007 2:39:17 PM PST by Lurking in Kansas (Nothing witty here... move on.)
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To: monday

I know!


12 posted on 01/26/2007 2:40:28 PM PST by pitinkie (revenge will be sweet)
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To: Yo-Yo

Huh? He has a website about his "ordeal"???!!! Hmmmm.......


13 posted on 01/26/2007 2:42:25 PM PST by Lurking in Kansas (Nothing witty here... move on.)
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To: lepton
If he's not a Syrian citizen, then he shouldn't have been sent to Syria.

I agree.
But if he is a Syrian citizen with Canadian residency, why would a wide-eyed innocent caught up in an international WOT mistake be "...tortured and imprisoned for nearly a year"?

14 posted on 01/26/2007 3:08:19 PM PST by Publius6961 (MSM: Israelis are killed by rockets; Lebanese are killed by Israelis.)
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To: pitinkie
I have to correct myself on my point number (2) I had either misread a newspaper report- or it was not accurate. An Abdullah Almalki had co-signed for Mr Arar's apartment. He had been himself imprisoned under the suspicion of being a terrorist.

He was exonerated by a Syrian court. His story is one of brutal torture. He is back in Canada. It is said that Arar has "recovered well" physically, from his ordeal. I somehow felt that he should have been in a wheelchair after what he had suffered.

Who knows?

15 posted on 01/26/2007 3:23:22 PM PST by Peter Libra
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To: pitinkie
I have to correct myself on my point number (2) I had either misread a newspaper report- or it was not accurate. An Abdullah Almalki had co-signed for Mr Arar's apartment. He had been himself imprisoned under the suspicion of being a terrorist.

He was exonerated by a Syrian court. His story is one of brutal torture. He is back in Canada. It is said that Arar has "recovered well" physically, from his ordeal. I somehow felt that he should have been in a wheelchair after what he had suffered.

Who knows?

16 posted on 01/26/2007 3:23:29 PM PST by Peter Libra
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To: fanfan

Why?

Only lackey court systems like Canada and the United States allow terrorists to sue and receive million of dollars from the countries they are trying to destroy. (sarcasm)

Incidentally, did the Syrians admit to torturing him, was he tortured, is there evidence of torture or did Canadian Judges just take his word for it? Does anyone know?


17 posted on 01/26/2007 3:35:20 PM PST by daviscupper
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To: daviscupper

If he wasn't really tortured then Canadians certainly have the ability to "make it so".


18 posted on 01/26/2007 3:44:26 PM PST by muawiyah
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To: fanfan

Sounds like he should sue Syria!


19 posted on 01/26/2007 4:09:00 PM PST by Fair Go
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To: daviscupper
Incidentally, did the Syrians admit to torturing him,

I don't remember, but I don't think so.

20 posted on 01/26/2007 4:18:37 PM PST by fanfan ("We don't start fights my friends, but we finish them, and never leave until our work is done."PMSH)
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