Inquiry Exposes Canada's Role in 'Renditions'

[maddezmom]

Inquiry Exposes Canada's Role in 'Renditions'
Hearings Suggest Cooperation With U.S. in Sending Arab Canadian Citizen to Syria for Interrogation

~snip~

Arar, 34, a computer engineer who was born in Lebanon, says he was spirited by U.S. authorities to Syria in 2002 and underwent repeated torture while held there for nearly a year. Now, a judicial commission here is seeking to determine how he and three other Arab Canadian citizens wound up being interrogated in the same Syrian prison after coming to the attention of Canadian or U.S. authorities.

Although much of the inquiry has been conducted behind closed doors, a recent series of public hearings has embarrassed the Canadian government by exposing details of Arar's "extraordinary rendition" -- the phrase used by the CIA to describe the U.S. practice of secretly sending terror suspects to countries where torture is routine. The hearings have also revealed a greater Canadian role in the practice than previously acknowledged.

The case has added to the growing discomfort of U.S. allies over such tactics in the war on terrorism. Critics in Sweden and Italy as well as Canada have called their governments to task for cooperating in U.S. renditions, which they say violate human rights.

In Canada, the Arar inquiry has sullied the country's self-image as a principled defender of human rights and may result in a call for tighter limits on intelligence-sharing between Canada and the United States, according to analysts and people involved in the process.

~snip~

more:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/25/AR2005062501185.html

[Maple]

1. I think we have

either a small rogue group who decided to 'take things into their own hands,' or a few incredibly incompetant people.

Either way, they should be nailed for this...big time.

This must never happen to a Canadian citizen again.

[jpak]

2. First the Chimp uses Syria for renditions

then threatens it over Syria's alleged role in the Iraqi insurgency.

...and they called Kerry the Flip-Flopper...

A cautionary tale for all countries cozying up to ChimpCo's 'Merica.

[Spazito]

3. Until the government comes clean on this, it will never go away

The Liberal government needs to stop stalling the inquiry and tell the truth. Mr. Arar and all Canadians deserve to know what part our government and it's agencies played in this horrendous injustice.

[Canadian Socialist]

4. Correct me if I'm wrong

Didn't Arar's wife run in the federal election (as an NDP) and win? I seem to recall something to that effect.

[Spazito]

5. She ran but, unfortunately, she did not win

She has my utmost respect, the fight she fought for her husband was incredible and without her constant actions, her husband might still be in Syria because the government sure didn't want to act.