Canada apologizes, pays Arar for Syrian ordeal

[Jennifer.Bush]

thoughts?

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada apologized to software engineer Maher Arar and his family on Friday and said it would pay him C$10.5 million ($8.9 million) in compensation after Canadian police falsely labeled him an Islamic extremist, which led to Arar being jailed in Syria

"On behalf of the government of Canada, I wish to apologize to you, Monia Mazigh (Arar's wife), and your family for any role Canadian officials may have played in the terrible ordeal that all of you experienced in 2002 and 2003," Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated.

Arar says he was repeatedly tortured during the year he spent in Damascus jails after he was deported to Syria by U.S. officials during a stopover in New York in 2002.

The apology and compensation were a part of settlement agreed to by Arar after he launched a suit against the Canadian government. He is also suing the United States.

Harper objected to the United States continuing to keep Arar on its security watch list. A Canadian judicial inquiry concluded last year that Arar had never been a security threat and it recommended compensation.

In addition to the C$10.5 million, the Canadian government will also pay Arar's legal bills, which a Harper aide estimated at C$1.5 million.

 

[Gunny]

thoughts?

Wow. What a precedent to set.

 

[Jennifer.Bush]

ok and???

 

[Gunny]

ok and???

And now we can just wait for the lawsuits to begin and the US gov't in an effort to appease world opinion and be PC, giving our tax dollars away.

 

[trobinett]

thoughts?

Yea, I have some thoughts.

I followed this story real close, back when it was first breaking.

My feelings then, and they haven't changed, is that the man was certainly worth looking at closely, thoroughly, and having every orifice of his body probed.

His associations, his travels, his background ALL were well within parameters, that would set off bell's for further investigation.

Canada is making a major mistake, but thats their business.

A word of wisdom to this man, and his family. Take the money, and go away.

Just because Canada didn't want to pursue this any further, national security reasons I'm sure, doesn't mean they can't revisit this at a later time.

 

[Jennifer.Bush]

Yea, I have some thoughts.

I followed this story real close, back when it was first breaking.

My feelings then, and they haven't changed, is that the man was certainly worth looking at closely, thoroughly, and having every orifice of his body probed.

His associations, his travels, his background ALL were well within parameters, that would set off bell's for further investigation.

Canada is making a major mistake, but thats their business.

A word of wisdom to this man, and his family. Take the money, and go away.

Just because Canada didn't want to pursue this any further, national security reasons I'm sure, doesn't mean they can't revisit this at a later time.

and those are?

 

[trobinett]

and those are?

As I have advised others that have asked me to do their research, Google it yourself. THAT information is easy to come by, and if you look it up on your own, it will mean more to YOU.

You started the thread.

 

[Roopull]

A man with casual links to someone vaguely suspected of being a terrorist is "blacklisted" by the RCMP. He tries to fly from what was it... Tanzania? From there to Canada via the USA. Since he's on the list of suspects provided by Canada, he's stopped in his tracks.

For 10 to 12 days, the US & Canada debate what to do with him... with Canada relaying questions to US officials to ask him. Canada never clears him from their list & certainly doesn't clear him to enter Canada.

That leaves the US in a bit of a bind. They can either put in in jail or... hey, here's a thought... the guy has citizenship in both Canada AND Syria. So, the US calls up our "buddies" in the Syrian government & whatta ya know... he's a wanted Syrian fugitive!

So, he's "spirited away" to Syria, his original home, a nation he still has citizenship in... a nation he's a wanted criminal in. He gets to spend the next year & a half or so (can't remember, but I think it was 18 months) enjoying the luxuries of a Syrian jail.

Upon his release, he's released to Canada where a "Free Arar" movement is in full swing. He details the events of his captivity full of torture... of course, don't ask him to see the scars from the torture because he's either really shy or full of sh!t.

Before the plane hits the ground, he's suing everyone he can think of. US courts tell him to go suck an egg.

Canadian courts give him money.

That's about it.


...and anyone who quotes Thomas Walkom to me is gonna really piss me off!