Five men still held without charge

Original author: Editorial in The Toronto Star
Source: The Toronto Star
URL: http://tinyurl.com/3snqd
Date: February 11, 2005

An editorial by Matt Behrens in The Toronto Star, in response to the story "Try Khadr, or free him"

Bravo to the Star for calling on Paul Martin to press for Omar Khadr, the young man held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, to either be charged and tried or simply released.

But perhaps Martin would be in a better position to make that case on the global stage if he cleaned house here at home first. One Federal Court judge has described as Canada's own Guantanamo Bay the situation facing five Muslim men held a collective 184 months behind Canadian prison walls without charge or bail. They are: Hassan Almrei, a Syrian refugee in solitary confinement in a Toronto prison since October, 2001; Mohammad Mahjoub, detained since June, 2000, in solitary for half that time; Mahmoud Jaballah, held since August, 2001; Mohamed Harkat, detained since December, 2002; and Adil Charkaoui, held since May, 2003. They still do not know why they are being detained, as neither they nor their lawyers are allowed access to the secret case.

All the five men have asked for is that they either be charged and tried in a fair and open court proceeding with disclosure of the case against them, or that they be released immediately.

If it's good enough for the United States' Guantanamo nightmare, it should be applied in Canada's as well.

Matthew Behrens, Toronto


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