RCMP admits contact with U.S. in Arar arrest

[struggle4progress]

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

OTTAWA -- The RCMP confirms it was in contact with U.S. authorities from the time Maher Arar was arrested in New York to the time he was deported to Syria. While the Mounties say none of the communications with the U.S. was improper or inaccurate, some may not have been authorized.
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Arar's lawyer, Marlys Edwardh, says that leaves open the possibility RCMP new of the deportation and did nothing to stop it.
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http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=986d1d9c-cfbb-49a7-98de-015e0625a02e


Arar inquiry to hear torture tale from another Canadian
Last Updated Wed, 07 Jul 2004 9:23:11

OTTAWA - The inquiry into Maher Arar's deportation to Syria will hear from another Canadian man who says he was tortured at the same facility in Damascas as Arar.

Commission counsel Paul Cavalluzzo said the inquiry will call Muayyed Nureddin, a Toronto geologist.

Nureddin says he was arrested by Syrian officials in December as he crossed the border from Iraq, his birthplace, and was tortured at the Palestine Branch facility in Damascus. He contends Canadian authorities passed information to Syria that led to his detention.
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http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/07/07/canada/Arar_inquiry_new040707


Syrians give Arar inquiry the cold shoulder

Ottawa — The inquiry into the Maher Arar case was dealt a blow Monday as Syria announced its refusal to participate, a move that leaves reluctant Canadian agencies the best hope of explaining the mystery surrounding Mr. Arar's detention in that country.

“We were certainly hoping the Syrian government would co-operate,” commission counsel Paul Cavalluzzo told reporters. He said Syria has sent a formal diplomatic note declining Ottawa's invitation to take part in the proceedings.

It also remains unclear whether the United States, which sent Mr. Arar to Syria in the first place, will allow any of its officials to testify. While Mr. Cavalluzzo said he “would love” to have the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci, come and answer questions, “we have not heard from the American government on that.”
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http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040706.wxarar0706/BNStory/Front/



Initial Canadian jailed in Syria snubs Arar inquiry
By COLIN FREEZE
Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - Page A4

OTTAWA -- The Arar commission is facing another investigative hurdle as an important witness -- the man who says he was tortured into giving Maher Arar's name to Syrian interrogators -- is refusing to testify.

One day after announcing that Syrian government officials wouldn't be coming to the inquiry and that U.S. participation is uncertain, lawyer Paul Cavalluzzo told reporters that Ahmad Abou El-Maati has written to say he won't attend.

Toronto lawyer Rocco Galati said in an interview yesterday that his 39-year-old client had no interest in being a "puppet" at a "sham hearing." Mr. El-Maati had sought standing at the Arar inquiry, but became incensed at being rejected, saying it would be a "whitewash" without him.

Standing would have given him the power to question Canadian officials, whom he says made him a terrorism suspect in the first place.
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040707/ARAR07/TPNational/TopStories

[struggle4progress]

1. kick for organized crime

:kick: