Arar still considered a threat to U.S.: (Amb.) Wilkins

[Newsjock]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061215.wlaytarar1215/BNStory/National/home

Canadian Press

Ottawa — The U.S. ambassador to Canada says Maher Arar is still considered a threat to the United States and will remain on a security watchlist, despite the findings of a Canadian inquiry.

"The decision to remove Mr. Arar from the United States in 2002 was made by U.S. officials based on our own independent assessment of the threat to the United States," David Wilkins said in a statement Friday.

... Mr. O'Connor's inquiry found no evidence linking Mr. Arar to terrorism, but the Americans continue to deny him clearance to enter the country or even fly over U.S. airspace.

... The New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit group dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, came to Mr. Arar's defence on Friday.

"That the United States would have the gall to keep Maher on a watch list, implying that he poses a threat to this country, is outrageous although not surprising since this administration is unwilling to admit its mistakes and still tries to conceal them," said the group's attorney, Maria LaHood.

[seemslikeadream]

1. U.S. claims Maher Arar still considered a threat to U.S.; will remain on watch list

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/15/america/NA_GEN_Canada_Torture_Case.php

TORONTO: A Canadian engineer who is suing the U.S. government after having been sent to Syria for interrogation on links to terrorism remains a threat to the United States and will remain on a security watchlist, the U.S. ambassador to Canada said Friday.

Maher Arar, who was recently cleared by the Canadian government of any ties to terrorism, has become the best-known case of "extraordinary rendition," the CIA practice to send foreign terror suspects to a third countries for interrogation.

The Ottawa engineer was detained at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport in 2002 during a stopover on his way home to Canada from a vacation in Tunisia. The United States turned him over to Syria, where he says he was tortured and kept in a dark cell for nearly a year.

After his release, the Syrians did not charge him with any crimes and Arar made detailed allegations about torture that Canadian authorities determined were credible.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in September called on the United States to "come clean with its version of events" and demanded the White House apology for his rendition.

[Lipton64]

2. But I bet if he donated 100K to the RNC his name would immediately be taken off.....

:sarcasm:

[Bozita]

3. This is a headline story on CBC's "The National" for Friday.

It syarted about 10 minutes into the hour.

Canada's pissed, and for good reason.

http://www.cbc.ca/video/

[HuffleClaw]

4. ONLY because of some genuine liability issues of course

its so he can't show up in court in the US to sue them