Comments (31)

Long Memory wrote on January 26, 2007 1:58 PM:

The administration is keeping that guy on the 'No-Fly List,' for reasons it won't disclose. I wonder if, under torture, he told them what they wanted to hear. Of course, it's possible the Syrians wouldn't give him up for a secret prison.

Bearpaw wrote on January 26, 2007 2:09 PM:

They're very likely keeping him on the "No-Fly List" because if they took him off of it, that'd get a little too close to admitting they screwed up. That's against policy.

benjoya wrote on January 26, 2007 2:22 PM:

canada's idea of "justice" is incompatable with bush's. syrian "justice" is more his taste.

skaren wrote on January 26, 2007 2:39 PM:

He is curious why he was shipped to Syria where he was tortured ??

Um isn't that why he was shipped there?

Surely all must understand that we torture people pretty regularly.

Anonymous wrote on January 26, 2007 3:36 PM:

They can hang together or swing alone, so long as Gonzales has a rope.

Robin Boerner wrote on January 26, 2007 4:00 PM:

Can the US Senate revoke Gonzales' confirmation? Tell him he is just too stupod and evil to be AG?

How can a man so clueless of the US Constitution graduate lawschool much less make it to the top lawyer for our country?

Anyone see Peter Sellers movie Being There?

Only that character was clueless AND likable. The Bush Administration has to be the largest collection of evil little trolls ever assembled.

It's time to arrest Gonzales', confiscate his private papers, his files, his computer, the magazine next to his toilet, EVERYTHING.

Sen. Leahy, it's time to get to the TRUTH!

Darren7160 wrote on January 26, 2007 4:54 PM:

It makes me physically sick to think that his is being done in my name as an American citizen.

To all those armchair warriors at AEI and their fellow travelers... exactly where in the story of the treatment of this man were the principles you claim you wish to project to the rest of the world?

G. Chell wrote on January 26, 2007 5:25 PM:

Just undercut the administration by passing a non-binding resolution apologizing for the treatment of Arar.

ifthethunderdontgetya wrote on January 26, 2007 5:30 PM:

"Can the US Senate revoke Gonzales' confirmation? Tell him he is just too stupod and evil to be AG?"

The House can impeach him and the Senate can put Alberto the Torturer on trial.

Anonymous wrote on January 26, 2007 7:31 PM:

Ha! The Canadians didn't accept what you told them in secret, and I have no doubt that Leahy won't either. The secret is that they don't want to admit massive incompetence and transferring an innocent man to Syria for the express purpose of him being tortured, a clear violation of the law.

testing wrote on January 26, 2007 9:24 PM:

It worked!

Thursday wrote on January 27, 2007 1:07 AM:

And this, bear in mind, from the political leader in Canada that is Bush's closest ally. Without Arar (and thank him for it!) the Conservative government would have taken a far more hawkish stance.

Jason wrote on January 27, 2007 6:06 AM:

Why didn't this get bigger media play?

Anun wrote on January 27, 2007 7:49 AM:

For Arar to be deported to syria, tortured and the information extracted relayed to US, there would have to be co-operation between the two countries at the very highest level.
Maher Arar was deported in 2002 Here is what Mr Bush was saying in 2003: "Today, Syria and Iran continue to harbor and assist terrorists. This behavior is completely unacceptable, and states that support terror will be held accountable." http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/07/21/bush.terror/

Bruce wrote on January 27, 2007 10:40 AM:

While keeping Mr Arar on the US no fly zone is quite within the "right" of the US govt, unfortunately, it may have drastic results for Mr Arar even if he never plans another trip on a US airline. As I understand it, the no fly rules mean that he is not allowed to "overfly" the US even on other national airlines. Given the geographical location of the US /Canada border, it may be difficult for planes to avoid flying over the US when that is the cheapest way of getting from one side of Canada to another (ie Toronto to Nova Scotia flights probably overfly Maine). To be fair, I suppose the Canadian Govt could name a US citizen on the Cdn no fly zone, someone, say, who travels from NY city to Tokyo a lot. I don't see how a US plane from NY could avoid flying over Canada. But I suppose the US authorities would not equate the two situations since one dealt with a Canadian (ie alien) and the other with a US citizen.

PapaB wrote on January 27, 2007 12:21 PM:

It's bad enough to have an Attorney General who does not believe in American principles, including habeus corpus, as he recently stated. To add insult to injury, Gonzo is such a little pipsqueak.

GMan wrote on January 27, 2007 12:22 PM:

If Arar is on the no-fly list or not isn't the real issue. I want Gonzo swinging from the gallow's pole, and he's not the only one. Most of the players in this administration are guilty of high treason. They brought about massive death, destruction, and human rights violations. The crimes committed by serial killers pale in comparison to the chaos created by this administration; crimes committed in the name of $. McVeigh was executed for the Oklahoma City bombing, but ALL of these folks will not only walk, but they'll live out the remainder of their lives in the lap of luxury. 600,000+ deaths and counting!

An Independent wrote on January 27, 2007 4:24 PM:

"The question remains why, even if there were reasons to consider [Arar] suspicious, the U.S. Government shipped him to Syria where he was tortured, instead of to Canada for investigation or prosecution," Leahy said in a statement released today, echoing the sentiments he shared with Gonzales last Thursday. "I look forward to hearing the Justice Department's answer to that question next week."
------------------------------------------------
Posted by: Anun
Date: January 27, 2007 07:49 AM

Here is what Mr Bush was saying in 2003: "Today, Syria and Iran continue to harbor and assist terrorists. This behavior is completely unacceptable, and states that support terror will be held accountable." http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/07/21/bush.terror/
----------------------------------------------

So, if the U.S. Government renders terror suspects to Syria and Syria is assisting terrorists, then doesn't that make the U.S. Government guilty of terrorism? Everyone from the President down the government chain that is complicit in these actions is guilty of at least treason!

Rob wrote on January 28, 2007 12:01 AM:

"Why didn't this get bigger media play?"

What? And take away precious airtime from the constant speculation and punditry concerning the November, 2008 election?

Notta Flatlander wrote on January 28, 2007 12:49 PM:

Anun is the only one so far who has come close to identifiying the most troubling aspect. Gonzolies CAN't tell Leahy or anyone else because that would entail admitting they have made a deal with the devil.

Think about it: The WH says they won't even TALK to Syria, except to talk AT them, making demands. So why in effing hell are we sending people there? Yes yes, so they get tortured, I know. But what's under that? They are DOING BUSINESS with them. Nope, won't talk but we'll make a deal with you...

Obviously there are secret cooperative agreements in place. I'd like to know the substance of those agreements. What are paying for this cooperation? What are we getting? What OTHER secret deals do we have with, say, Iran, Korea, et. al.? Who arranged these deals?

I wonder what Leahy will do after his secret briefing; that is, if it happens and if Gonzo fesses up.

No les than Reagan makin back-room deals with Iran, this is ugly. Very ugly indeed.

captcha: "butter" As in who's putting the butter on whom's bum?

RF wrote on January 29, 2007 12:16 AM:

It still mystifies me how America elected this group of bandits to leadership, not once, but twice. It seems impossible, yet it happenned.

As a Canadian, I'm proud that our government admitted their mistakes after an exhaustive inquiry, in which I might add cost the Top RCMP his job.

America sure isn't proving to be the democratic nation they endlessly tout themselves to be. Americans should hang their collective heads in shame, and I believe that after 2008, there'll be alot of soul searching and truth come out which will shake the nation down to it's timbers.

GMan wrote on January 29, 2007 3:50 PM:

RF-
Some Americans saw this coming and did everything they could to stop Bush, in 2000 and 2004. We were obviously unsuccessful. I refuse to hang my head because I tried and failed. Most lack the courage to try. I'm very disappointed with the majority of Americans, and we are already paying the price. That will continue, but we will rise like the Phoenix. We are still the strongest naion in the world, and we will remain as such.

Ian Marsman wrote on January 30, 2007 8:33 AM:

Arar is in the process of suing the US government for his wrongful deportation and torture. That's a big part of the reason to keep him on the watch list.

GMan wrote on January 30, 2007 11:22 AM:

It's sad he has to sue. The US should have already paid him. The fact that the US hasn't, speaks volumes about this administration.

RF wrote on January 31, 2007 4:27 PM:

Here are some concluding comments about the Arar case listed in today's Toronto Star. I say to our friends in the Great Republic to the south, read these and be wary of what is happenning in your country.

Jan 30, 2007 04:30 AM
Lorne Waldman
Marlys Edwardh

The detention of Maher Arar at J.F.K. Airport in September 2002 and his subsequent deportation to Syria unleashed a series of events that culminated last Friday with the formal apology by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the announcement of a compensation package.

Now that much of the Canadian process has all but ended, it is important that we try and learn from Maher's experience, which teaches us that:

1 Canadians are fundamentally decent people who hate injustice. During Maher's entire ordeal, he received incredible support from Canadians. When he walked down the street he would often be stopped by people who expressed their concern.

He received countless emails and letters of support. His story touched Canadians in a fundamental way and revealed our true essence.

2 Canada is fundamentally different from the United States. Maher's return to Canada sparked a concerted public debate in Canada more than three years ago about the role played by our national security apparatus.

A public inquiry was called and much of the truth has now come out.

The same cannot be said for the experience south of the border, where, although there were isolated voices, the public was far more prepared to tolerate fundamental violations of human rights in the name of national security.

Only in the past few months has American society begun to engage in questioning the outrageous conduct of the Bush administration.

3When states are confronted with perceived threats to their national security, they must make sure that their reaction is proportionate to the threat. After Sept. 11, 2001, the Canadian government earmarked massive resources to its national security apparatus. Part of this resulted in the formation of the AOCanada Team charged with investigating an alleged Al Qaeda cell in Ottawa. As we now know, the inverstigating group was fundamentally flawed. Its members did not have the proper experience or expertise.

The result was an accident-prone investigation that led to the transmitting of erroneous and inflammatory information about Arar to the United States.

4 The presumption of innocence is vital. After Arar was detained in September 2002, many people immediately presumed that because he had been detained and was alleged to be a member of Al Qaeda by American immigration officials , it must be true. In November 2002, Conservative MP Diane Ablonczy, then an opposition MP stated in the House of Commons, stated: "Arar was given dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship by the government. It did not pick up on his terrorist links and the U.S. had to clue it in. How is it that the U.S. could uncover this man's background so quickly when the government's screening system failed to find his Al Qaeda links?" Other Members of Parliament, including Stockwell Day, echoed those sentiments, believing the worst about Arar in those first days after his arrest and detention. We now know that there was no basis to the allegations.

5 A determined group of persons fighting for justice can make a difference. After Arar's detention, his wife, Monia Mazigh, began a campaign to bring him back to Canada. She was joined in June 2003 by Kerry Pither, a social justice activist, and by Alex Neve and John Tackabury of Amnesty International.

They formed the core group who successfully campaigned to bring Maher back from Syria. After Maher returned, the group was augmented by his legal team. Together, with limited resources, Maher and his team were able to conduct a successful public campaign that forced an unwilling government to call a public inquiry. Maher decided throughout the entire period that he would always take the high road. This ensured continuing public support essential for the success of his efforts.

6 The media: the good, the bad and the ugly. The media played a fundamental role in Maher's case. Some reporters were determined to expose what had happened to Maher and to do what they could to ensure that Maher obtained justice. Several prominent media outlets repeatedly called for a public inquiry. Others were far more reticent because they believed the leaks that suggested Maher was, in fact, connected to terrorist organizations. Even more controversial was the role played by some members of the media who published the leaks that damaged Maher's reputation. Given the impact the leaks had on Maher, the time has come for a more robust debate about when leaks should be published in cases where they will seriously damage someone's reputation.

7 We need to be careful about how we share security intelligence. Before we share intelligence with foreign agencies, we must make sure the intelligence we are providing meets a threshold of reliability. The mistakes in Maher's case 0had terrible consequences.

8 We must not share intelligence with regimes that engage in torture. In Justice Dennis O'Connor's report it was revealed that the RCMP sent questions to the Syrians that were used in the interrogation under torture of Abdullah Almalki. This makes Canada complicit in his torture. By the same token, we must not receive intelligence from these regimes.

Maher's false confession that had been obtained under torture from Syria became the lynchpin for the position taken by the national security apparatus in its erroneous characterization of Arar because a CSIS analyst wrongly believed that it was reliable.

9 Our intelligence sources are not infallible. They make mistakes. Both CSIS and the RCMP made serious mistakes in their handling of the Arar file. There is no reason to believe that this was an isolated case.

10 The most important lesson that can be learned from Maher's experience is that accountability is essential. Intelligence agencies are given extraordinary powers to intervene in our lives and to intrude on our privacy. All of these extraordinary powers are exercised behind a veil of secrecy so that it is hidden from the scrutiny of both the public and the media. As a result, it is essential that there is a robust mechanism that oversees their conduct and ensures that no mistakes occur.

We can be proud in Canada that we have undergone this very public process in an effort to preserve our democratic values but we cannot be complacent. We must act to insure that we learn from our experience so that the mistakes are not repeated.

citizen k wrote on February 3, 2007 10:34 AM:

Thanks for patting yourselves on the backs Canadians, but one of your citizens was abducted in an international airport by an "ally", sent of to be tortured, and left there for a year and you did absolutely nothing. Of course, if he'd been white, it would have been different.

da man wrote on February 8, 2007 6:16 AM:

It burns my ass that we paid this bastard 11.5 million dollars. He's not CANADIAN! I don't care if he's got a Canadian passport. Just because he immigrated here from Syria a couple of years ago .. so what! He said he was beaten on the palms of his hands during the first 2 weeks in Syria.....real torture eh!

I wan't to personally thank the United States for sending this Syrian suspect back to Syria and not Canada. Thanks for doing us the favor.
Well we got him back now and Canadian taxpayers payed him 10.5 million + 1 million in legal fees!

US JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT:
“The facts underlying Arar’s case…[are]classified and cannot be released publicly.”
“We have information indicating that Mr. Arar is a member of al Qaeda and, therefore, remains a threat to U.S. national security.”

Arar got himself deported by lying to the US. This is part his official statement:

"They (US immigration) asked me about Abdullah Almalki (terrorist) , and I told them I worked with his brother at high-tech firms in Ottawa, and that the Almalki family had come from Syria about the same time as mine. I told them I did not know Abdullah well, but had seen him a few times and I described the times I could remember.
I told them I had a casual relationship with him.

They were so rude with me, yelling at me that I had a selective memory. Then they pulled out a copy of my rental lease from 1997. I could not believe they had this.

I was completely shocked. They pointed out that Abdullah had signed the lease as a witness. I had completely forgotten that he had signed it for me"

duh kops wrote on March 5, 2007 6:55 PM:

Yo Duh Man,

How com if da file's a secret classerfried hushup secret - ummm YOU published its content?? You traitoring da nation or sumthin??

alex@gmail.com wrote on April 30, 2007 11:10 PM:

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jennifire@gmail.com wrote on May 6, 2007 10:38 AM:

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