A SUPREME Court decision to hear a Montreal terror suspect's challenge to the controversial security certificate process was met with mixed reaction yesterday by those fighting on behalf of local terror suspect Mohamed Harkat. Canada's highest court said yesterday it would hear an appeal by Adil Charkaoui, who was detained for 21 months on allegations of being an al-Qaida sleeper agent. He has argued that the security certificate violates both the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Canada's obligations under international law, but his earlier challenges to the system were dismissed by a Federal Court judge. The decision was upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal in December. DEPORTATION FIGHT

Charkaoui was released on 50,000 dollars bail in February and is now fighting deportation to his Moroccan homeland. Harkat's lawyer Paul Copeland said the decision was "very good news" given the last time someone tried and failed to get leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada on this issue was in 1996. However, Copeland said it likely won't have any bearing on his client's constitutional challenge slated for Sept. 6 in Federal Court. "I presume I will lose," he said, adding he, too, will likely have to apply for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. Copeland said he'll probably sign up as a co-appellant in the Charkaoui matter when it goes before the Supreme Court.

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