When it comes to obtaining information for the Canadian government, CSIS isn't above using torture, defence lawyers for Mohamed Harkat charged yesterday. A senior Mideast analyst for the spy agency, identified only as P.G., said under cross-examination that he had not been told, nor had he asked other national security agents, whether information he was given for reports was obtained through torture. When pressed on his knowledge of secret CIA detention centres used to detain al-Qaida suspects, or human-rights violations detailed in reports by organizations such as Amnesty International and the UN, P.G. said he had read little or none of the documents. It was enough for Harkat's defence lawyer, Paul Copeland, to suggest CSIS is unconcerned with how it gets its information, even if it means torturing suspects. "I would say that is not true," P.G. responded.CORROBORATE INFO

Even the judge seemed shocked with the agent's admissions. "If you don't ask under what conditions the information you receive was obtained, how can you be satisfied that the information is reliable?" asked Judge Francois Lemieux. P.G. said various sources are used to corroborate the information. "As an analyst, you make a judgment that the information is true and therefore can be used in your analysis," P.G. said. Harkat has been held in jail without charges since his arrest outside his Vanier apartment on Dec. 10, 2002. He is suspected of being an al-Qaida sleeper cell agent. He is currently before the Federal Court, seeking bail with conditions for house arrest. In testimony Wednesday, P.G. said Islamic extremists will always be extremists, and no length of incarceration would change or neutralize that. Under cross-examination yesterday, Copeland questioned whether P.G. was biased in this conclusion, citing a report he had submitted to the court. In that document, P.G. noted the Pentagon had released 10 Guantanamo Bay detainees only for them to show up on battlefields. They were either captured or killed in combat against U.S. or allied troops in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, he failed to mention that they were 10 of 200 detainees released, or 5%. Copeland asked why P.G. left that detail out. "At the time it didn't seem important," P.G. replied. During redirect from the Crown, P.G. didn't rule out the possibility the remaining detainees who were released could also be supporting al-Qaida. nelly dot elayoubi at ott dot sunpub dot com Copyright © 2005, Canoe Inc. All rights reserved.