Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen, was only 15 years old when he was captured in Afghanistan over five years ago and sent to Guantanamo Bay where he claims to have been tortured. Khadr’s attorneys want him sent back to Canada to face justice claiming that suspicions of torture undermine assertions that he can get a fair trial from the military commission at Guantanamo Bay.
The Canadian government, which has been reluctant to admit their suspicions of torture are waiting for the US judicial process to play itself out.
Canada’s new focus on torture involves an investigation of the case of Maher Arar, a Canadian of Syrian descent, who was arrested after a brief stopover in NY and was wrongly accused of having links to terrorism. Arar was sent to a Syrian prison camp where he was tortured for over a year.
CTV News has learned that Canadian diplomats are being taught in workshops how to recognize torture victims when they visit Canadians in foreign jails. These workshops specify US interrogation techniques which include forced nudity, isolation and sleep deprivation.
Alex Neve of Amnesty International says he is surprised that Canada would risk offending allies by naming countries that potentially torture prisoners.
2 Comments
January 17, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I’ve read other things about this young man. This is a terrible tragic story and I am glad Canada in calling the US on it. I am ashamed there are those in our country who have committed these atrocities in our name. Hopefully some day soon there will be a reckoning and people will be held to account. It won’t make up for the pain and shame, and the lost years, but hopefully it will prevent the US from moving in this direction ever again.
Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld (and whoever else was directly involved in these decisions) have got to be made to answer for what they have done.
Good story Shayne.
January 17, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I agree nwmuse, but we have already seen that the world and our own govt. is giving these criminals a free pass.
Look at Germany not upholding the “war crimes” charges against Rummy. And the Supreme Court stating that a govt. official acting in his duty can not be held accountable for his/her actions.
I find that to be rediculous. It should not matter if they were working for the govt. or as a private citizen, if they broke the law then they should be held accountable.
I am starting to loose faith that the world or this country will hold these bastards accountable, and it will be left up to the lone gunman to do that.
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