Original author: Derek Puddicombe
Source: TheOttawa Sun Online
URL: [link]
Date: July 31, 2004
Mohamed Harkat says deportation to Algeria would be a death sentence. "If they send me back to Algeria, it's really a dangerous situation," he told the Sun. "In Algeria, it's over."
After making his way to Canada with dreams of a better life, Harkat was arrested in 2002 under a rarely used section of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act -- the first step in the deportation process.
Now, the 35-year-old is afraid that he'll be forced to return to Algeria, a country that has a long history of violence. Where, over the years, thousands of civilians have been forced to flee their homes.
[ Read the rest ... ]
In troubled homeland, 'it's over' for Harkat
posted on August 04, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | by Brian
Muslims 'Tarnished' by Anti-Terror Raids (UK)
posted on August 04, 2004 | in Category International | by BrianOriginal author: Neville Dean, PA News
Source: The Scotsman online
URL: [link]
Date: August 4, 2004
Britain's Islamic leaders tonight warned that the Muslim community felt increasingly persecuted following the arrest of 12 men in another round of anti-terror raids.
Police were tonight continuing to question the 12, who are all thought to be of Asian origin, at Paddington Green Police Station in London.
The men, aged between 19 and 32, were seized in a series of raids across the country yesterday on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Armed officers swooped in north-west London, Bushey in Hertfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, and Blackburn, Lancashire.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: The Scotsman online
URL: [link]
Date: August 4, 2004
Britain's Islamic leaders tonight warned that the Muslim community felt increasingly persecuted following the arrest of 12 men in another round of anti-terror raids.
Police were tonight continuing to question the 12, who are all thought to be of Asian origin, at Paddington Green Police Station in London.
The men, aged between 19 and 32, were seized in a series of raids across the country yesterday on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.
Armed officers swooped in north-west London, Bushey in Hertfordshire, Luton, Bedfordshire, and Blackburn, Lancashire.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Mounties, CSIS agents grilled over Arar leak
posted on August 02, 2004 | in Category Maher Arar | by BrianOriginal author: Jim Bronskill
Source: CANADIAN PRESS (via Toronto Star)
URL: [link]
Date: August 1, 2004
OTTAWA -The federal government quietly conducted two internal probes into leaks of sensitive information about the Maher Arar case months before the RCMP searched a journalist's home, The Canadian Press has learned.
Newly disclosed documents reveal that employees of several federal agencies were grilled during a three-week period last fall about what they knew concerning television and newspaper stories on the Arar affair.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: CANADIAN PRESS (via Toronto Star)
URL: [link]
Date: August 1, 2004
OTTAWA -The federal government quietly conducted two internal probes into leaks of sensitive information about the Maher Arar case months before the RCMP searched a journalist's home, The Canadian Press has learned.
Newly disclosed documents reveal that employees of several federal agencies were grilled during a three-week period last fall about what they knew concerning television and newspaper stories on the Arar affair.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Canada defers to Syria in case of Abdullah AlMalki
posted on July 28, 2004 | in Category Almalki | by BrianOriginal author: Michelle Shepard
Source: The Toronto Star
URL: [link]
Date: July 28, 2004
Ottawa man may have to do army duty Dual citizenship a privilege: MinisterIt's Syria's decision alone whether Canadian Abdullah Almalki will have to do military service there before he can return home, federal officials said yesterday.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: The Toronto Star
URL: [link]
Date: July 28, 2004
Ottawa man may have to do army duty Dual citizenship a privilege: MinisterIt's Syria's decision alone whether Canadian Abdullah Almalki will have to do military service there before he can return home, federal officials said yesterday.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Ottawa engineer, Abdullah Almalki, acquitted in Syria, but not allowed here
posted on July 27, 2004 | in Category Almalki | by BrianOriginal author: Michelle Shephard
Source: The Toronto Star
Date: July 27, 2004
A Canadian engineer detained and reportedly tortured in a Syrian jail for almost two years has been acquitted of all charges.
But Abdullah Almalki is still not allowed to return to Canada.
Syrian authorities have not revealed the specific charges Almalki had faced, but relatives were told they related to Syria's security.
A judge dismissed the charges against Almalki in a Damascus court Sunday, citing "insufficient evidence." But he then ordered the 33-year-old to perform 30 months of military service.
If the Syrian-born Almalki does not surrender today he may be arrested again.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: The Toronto Star
Date: July 27, 2004
A Canadian engineer detained and reportedly tortured in a Syrian jail for almost two years has been acquitted of all charges.
But Abdullah Almalki is still not allowed to return to Canada.
Syrian authorities have not revealed the specific charges Almalki had faced, but relatives were told they related to Syria's security.
A judge dismissed the charges against Almalki in a Damascus court Sunday, citing "insufficient evidence." But he then ordered the 33-year-old to perform 30 months of military service.
If the Syrian-born Almalki does not surrender today he may be arrested again.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Canada's Immigration minister tells churches to stop harbouring refugee claimants
posted on July 27, 2004 | in Category Canada's Immigration Policy | by BrianOriginal author: Jim Bronskill
Source: CP
URL: [link]
Date: July 25, 2004
OTTAWA (CP) - Immigration Minister Judy Sgro wants Canadian churches to abandon the time-honoured practice of providing sanctuary to people under the threat of deportation.
In the wake of several thorny cases, a plainly frustrated Sgro plans to meet church leaders soon to urge them not to harbour newcomers fighting for refugee status.
"It's a very difficult issue to deal with and, frankly, if we start using the churches as the back door to enter Canada, we're going to have huge problems," Sgro said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"The protection of our country and of Canadians has to be the No. 1 concern. And people shouldn't be allowed to hide anywhere."
About half a dozen individuals, most of them failed refugee claimants, are currently being sheltered in churches across the country.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: CP
URL: [link]
Date: July 25, 2004
OTTAWA (CP) - Immigration Minister Judy Sgro wants Canadian churches to abandon the time-honoured practice of providing sanctuary to people under the threat of deportation.
In the wake of several thorny cases, a plainly frustrated Sgro plans to meet church leaders soon to urge them not to harbour newcomers fighting for refugee status.
"It's a very difficult issue to deal with and, frankly, if we start using the churches as the back door to enter Canada, we're going to have huge problems," Sgro said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"The protection of our country and of Canadians has to be the No. 1 concern. And people shouldn't be allowed to hide anywhere."
About half a dozen individuals, most of them failed refugee claimants, are currently being sheltered in churches across the country.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Clouded by error and secrecy, court denies Charkaoui liberty
posted on July 24, 2004 | in Category Charkaoui | by BrianSource: Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui Listserv
Clouded by error and secrecy, court decision denies Charkaoui liberty
Press Release from the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui
MONTREAL (24 July 2004) - SUPPORTERS of justice for Adil Charkaoui received a few surprises as they read yesterday's Federal Court decision to uphold the imprisonment of the 30-year old Montrealer. The decision followed an attempt by Charkaoui to clear himself of the suspicions that have fallen on him, in order to be released on bail.
Supporters welcomed Judge Simon Noel's decision to set aside information against Charkaoui provided by Al Qaeda member Abu Zoubaida, which was probably extracted under torture. The testimony about the probable use of torture on Mr. Zoubaida was given in open court by Abdurahman Khadr, called as a witness by Charkaoui.
However, the unusual victory was mitigated by the fact that CSIS subsequently gave additional secret evidence about the Zoubaida testimony to the judge in a closed hearing. According to the judge, this related to assurances that Zoubaida was not ill-treated in detention by US forces. Based on the secret information, the judge only set aside Zoubaida's information "temporarily".
[ Read the rest ... ]
Clouded by error and secrecy, court decision denies Charkaoui liberty
Press Release from the Coalition for Justice for Adil Charkaoui
MONTREAL (24 July 2004) - SUPPORTERS of justice for Adil Charkaoui received a few surprises as they read yesterday's Federal Court decision to uphold the imprisonment of the 30-year old Montrealer. The decision followed an attempt by Charkaoui to clear himself of the suspicions that have fallen on him, in order to be released on bail.
Supporters welcomed Judge Simon Noel's decision to set aside information against Charkaoui provided by Al Qaeda member Abu Zoubaida, which was probably extracted under torture. The testimony about the probable use of torture on Mr. Zoubaida was given in open court by Abdurahman Khadr, called as a witness by Charkaoui.
However, the unusual victory was mitigated by the fact that CSIS subsequently gave additional secret evidence about the Zoubaida testimony to the judge in a closed hearing. According to the judge, this related to assurances that Zoubaida was not ill-treated in detention by US forces. Based on the secret information, the judge only set aside Zoubaida's information "temporarily".
[ Read the rest ... ]
Faussée par les erreurs et le secret [...]
posted on July 24, 2004 | in Category Charkaoui | by BrianSource: Coalition Justice pour Adil Charkaoui Listserv
Communiqué De Presse
Montréal (le 24 juillet 2004) - Les personnes demandant justice pour Adil Charkaoui ont connu plus d'une surprise en lisant la décision rendue hier par la Cour fédérale maintenant l'emprisonnement de ce Montréalais âgé de 30 ans. La décision faisait suite à une tentative entreprise par Charkaoui d'être innocenté des soupçons qui pèsent sur lui et d'être mis en liberté sous caution.
La Coalition a accueilli favorablement la décision du juge Simon Noèl d'écarter la déclaration de Abu Zubaida, membre d'Al Qaeda, contre Charkaoui. Cette décision a été rendue suite au témoignage selon lequel les informations fournies par M. Zoubaida avaient probablement été obtenues par la torture. Le témoignage sur la torture a été donné en audience publique par Abdurahman Khadr, que Charkaoui avait demandé comme témoin.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Communiqué De Presse
Montréal (le 24 juillet 2004) - Les personnes demandant justice pour Adil Charkaoui ont connu plus d'une surprise en lisant la décision rendue hier par la Cour fédérale maintenant l'emprisonnement de ce Montréalais âgé de 30 ans. La décision faisait suite à une tentative entreprise par Charkaoui d'être innocenté des soupçons qui pèsent sur lui et d'être mis en liberté sous caution.
La Coalition a accueilli favorablement la décision du juge Simon Noèl d'écarter la déclaration de Abu Zubaida, membre d'Al Qaeda, contre Charkaoui. Cette décision a été rendue suite au témoignage selon lequel les informations fournies par M. Zoubaida avaient probablement été obtenues par la torture. Le témoignage sur la torture a été donné en audience publique par Abdurahman Khadr, que Charkaoui avait demandé comme témoin.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Federal court refuses to release suspect detained
posted on July 24, 2004 | in Category Charkaoui | by BrianOriginal author: Tu Thanh Ha
Source: Saturday's Globe and Mail
URL: [link]
Date: July 24, 2004
Montreal - Adil Charkaoui, a Montrealer detained as a terror suspect and security threat, will not be released despite getting a former Guantanamo Bay detainee to testify on his behalf.
In a decision released yesterday, a Federal Court judge said he had not been convinced by the testimony of Toronto resident Abdurahman Khadr.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: Saturday's Globe and Mail
URL: [link]
Date: July 24, 2004
Montreal - Adil Charkaoui, a Montrealer detained as a terror suspect and security threat, will not be released despite getting a former Guantanamo Bay detainee to testify on his behalf.
In a decision released yesterday, a Federal Court judge said he had not been convinced by the testimony of Toronto resident Abdurahman Khadr.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Ottawa jail in lockdown
posted on July 20, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | by BrianOriginal author: Nelly Elayoubi
Source: The Ottawa Sun
Date: July 18, 2004
Detention centre inmates confined to cells since Thursday in contraband search
INMATES at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre were being searched one-by-one yesterday during an internal investigation which has had the facility in lockdown since Thursday. The lockdown started at about 6 p.m. after a specific incident with one inmate, said Ministry of Public Safety and Security spokesman Bruce O'Neill.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: The Ottawa Sun
Date: July 18, 2004
Detention centre inmates confined to cells since Thursday in contraband search
INMATES at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre were being searched one-by-one yesterday during an internal investigation which has had the facility in lockdown since Thursday. The lockdown started at about 6 p.m. after a specific incident with one inmate, said Ministry of Public Safety and Security spokesman Bruce O'Neill.
[ Read the rest ... ]
