|
StroFun
Repeater
Registered: 07/11/06
Posts: 977
Loc: Mycotopia.net
|
Innocent man tortured by CIA
#6077029 - 09/19/06 06:28 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Innocent Man Sent to Syria and Tortured, Probe Finds Canadian Report Faults Mounties, U.S. for Deportation By ROB GILLIES, AP
TORONTO (Sept. 19) - The United States "very likely" sent a Canadian software engineer to Syria, where he was tortured, based on the false accusation by Canadian authorities that he was suspected of links to al-Qaida, according to a new government report.
Dave Chan, Reuters Maher Arar pauses during a news conference in Ottawa. Canadian authorities wrongly identified Arar, a software engineer, as an Islamic extremist, prompting U.S. agents to deport him to Syria where he says he was tortured.
Talk About It: Post Thoughts
Syrian-born Maher Arar was exonerated of all suspicion of terrorist activity by the 2 1/2-year commission of inquiry into his case, which urged the Canadian government to offer him financial compensation. Arar is perhaps the world's best-known case of extraordinary rendition -- the U.S. transfer of foreign terror suspects to third countries without court approval.
"I am able to say categorically that there is no evidence to indicate that Mr. Arar has committed any offense or that his activities constitute a threat to the security of Canada," Justice Dennis O'Connor said Monday in a three-volume report on the findings of the inquiry, part of which was made public.
Arar was traveling on a Canadian passport when he was detained at New York's Kennedy Airport on Sept. 26, 2002, on his way home from vacation in Tunisia.
Arar said U.S. authorities sent him to Syria for interrogation as a suspected member of al-Qaida, a link he denied.
He spent nearly a year in prison in Syria and made detailed allegations after his release in 2003 about extensive interrogation, beatings and whippings with electrical cables.
O'Connor criticized the U.S. and recommended that Ottawa file formal protests with both Washington and the Syrian government over Arar's treatment.
"The American authorities who handled Mr. Arar's case treated Mr. Arar in a most regrettable fashion," O'Connor wrote. "They removed him to Syria against his wishes and in the face of his statements that he would be tortured if sent there. Moreover, they dealt with Canadian officials involved with Mr. Arar's case in a less than forthcoming manner."
The U.S. is already under intense criticism from human rights groups over the practice of sending suspects to countries where they could be tortured.
U.S. and Syrian officials refused to cooperate with the Canadian inquiry.
Most Popular Stories · Teen Rescued After Sending Text Message · U.S. War Prisons Become Legal Vacuum for 14,000 · Researchers Find Underwater Lost World (ABCNews.com) · JFK's Sister Patricia Kennedy Lawford Dies · Nurse Breaks Silence, Reveals WWII Atrocity The commission found the Royal Canadian Mounted Police shared information about Arar with American anti-terrorist agencies both before and after he was detained.
The RCMP asked the U.S. to put Arar on a watch list as an "Islamic extremist individual" suspected of links to the al-Qaida terrorist movement, the report said.
The request was issued after Arar met with another man who was under surveillance, a meeting Arar has said was about how to find inexpensive computer equipment.
"The RCMP had no basis for this description, which had the potential to create serious consequences for Mr. Arar in light of American attitudes and practices," the report said.
The RCMP described Arar as the "target" of a domestic anti-terrorist investigation in Canada when in fact he was a peripheral figure who had come under suspicion only because he had been seen in the company of the man who was under surveillance, the report found.
O'Connor said that much of the material shared with U.S. authorities had not been double-checked to ensure its accuracy and reliability -- a violation of the RCMP's usual rules for divulging information to foreign agencies.
O'Connor concluded that the inaccurate information passed by Canadian police to U.S. authorities "very likely" led to their decision to send Arar to Syria.
"It's quite clear that the RCMP sent inaccurate information to U.S. officials," Arar said at a news conference in Ottawa. "I would have not have even been sent to Syria had this information not been given to them."
"I have waited a long time to have my name cleared. I was tortured and lost a year of my life. I will never be the same," Arar said. "The United States must take responsibility for what it did to me and must stop destroying more innocent lives with its unlawful actions."
The commission concluded there was no evidence Canadian officials participated in or agreed to the decision to send Arar to Syria. But O'Connor recommended that in the future, information should never be provided to a foreign country where there is a credible risk that it will cause or contribute to the use of torture.
Most of the judge's 23 policy recommendations centered on the RCMP and emphasized the need to improve the force's internal policies for national security investigations and the sharing of information with other countries.
Arar's case has been regularly featured on the front pages of Canadian newspapers and public outcry led to the government calling an inquiry. Canada's federal government established the inquiry in 2004 to determine the role Canadian officials played.
O'Connor also found "troubling questions" about the role played by Canadian officials in the cases of three other Canadians of Arab descent -- Ahmad El Maati, Abdullah Almalki and Muayyed Nureddin. All claim they were tortured in Syria after traveling there on personal business, and all suspect that the RCMP, Canadian intelligence or both collaborated with their captors.
O'Connor said he could not get to the bottom of those cases because of the limited nature of his mandate. But he urged the government to appoint an independent investigator -- something short of a full-fledged public inquiry -- to look into those cases.
O'Connor sifted through thousands of pages of documents and sat through testimony from more than 40 witnesses. He delivered two versions of his report to the government: one classified, the other public. But portions of even the public edition of the long-awaited document were withheld due to security concerns.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/inn...S00010000000001
|
Andy21
Armchairanarchist
Registered: 01/01/06
Posts: 288
Last seen: 13 years, 2 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: StroFun]
#6077280 - 09/19/06 09:21 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Fucking disgusting, the people involved need to lose their jobs. I bet this guy has PTSD now, his life can never be the same again after being treated in such a barbaric way. Torture is sick and twisted, much like those who advocate it.
|
StroFun
Repeater
Registered: 07/11/06
Posts: 977
Loc: Mycotopia.net
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: Andy21]
#6077405 - 09/19/06 09:58 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
i have a salvia cutting that says noone gets in trouble in the US, even though a war crime was committed, regardless of the "intelligence" they recieved.
|
WhiteRabbitt
Stranger
Registered: 06/06/02
Posts: 3,486
Last seen: 15 years, 10 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: StroFun]
#6077747 - 09/19/06 11:33 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
I'm sure the CIA knew a little more about him than we do. They don't just go around randomly kidnapping people.
-------------------- You gotta jump and swing up to hit me in the knees.
|
Economist
in training
Registered: 10/11/05
Posts: 1,285
Last seen: 16 years, 7 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: StroFun]
#6077836 - 09/19/06 12:01 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
I don't want to sound like a jerk here, but...
Is there any sort of corroboration to Arar's accusation of torture? Surely if it was as extensive as he claims there must be some kind of lasting medical evidence (extensive scaring, especially from electrical burns).
Don't get me wrong, I think it's total crap that the government can arrest him and hold him without trial for over a year, but...
I have a hard time accepting that he was tortured based only on his word, especially after the ordeal he went through. Hell, I'd make up allegations about torture if I was put through a year of imprisonment without trial too. (Think about how many crack-dealers, upon arrest, immediately begin making allegations of Police-brutality)
I just find torture hard to believe because of the total lack of effectiveness on the part of US law enforcement. Torture is completely inhumane, but unfortunately it works. If the US was actually torturing prisoners, we'd have a lot more confessions and a lot more people in jail, including Iraqi insurgency leaders.
|
StroFun
Repeater
Registered: 07/11/06
Posts: 977
Loc: Mycotopia.net
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: Economist]
#6077903 - 09/19/06 12:15 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
I believe the canadian official backs up the fact that he was tortured in the investigation.
|
fireworks_god
Sexy.Butt.McDanger
Registered: 03/12/02
Posts: 24,855
Loc: Pandurn
Last seen: 1 year, 2 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: Economist]
#6079324 - 09/19/06 06:45 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Economist said: Don't get me wrong, I think it's total crap that the government can arrest him and hold him without trial for over a year, but...
Or send him to Syria. Ask yourself, now why would they take a Canadian citizen and send him from the United States of America to Syria? I mean, there are some expenses involved in doing something like - they just don't do it for the fucking hell of it.
Hhhm...... I wonder, wonder, wonder....
Quote:
I have a hard time accepting that he was tortured based only on his word, especially after the ordeal he went through.
Perhaps he just wanted attention?
Quote:
I just find torture hard to believe because of the total lack of effectiveness on the part of US law enforcement.
We are not talking about "US law enforcement" here, and I wonder how you have a position on the matter from which you could judge whether or not the possibillity of torture is hard to believe.
Quote:
If the US was actually torturing prisoners, we'd have a lot more confessions and a lot more innocent people in jail...
Peace.
-------------------- If I should die this very moment I wouldn't fear For I've never known completeness Like being here Wrapped in the warmth of you Loving every breath of you
|
Economist
in training
Registered: 10/11/05
Posts: 1,285
Last seen: 16 years, 7 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: fireworks_god]
#6079680 - 09/19/06 07:41 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
fireworks_god said: Or send him to Syria. Ask yourself, now why would they take a Canadian citizen and send him from the United States of America to Syria? I mean, there are some expenses involved in doing something like - they just don't do it for the fucking hell of it.
Hhhm...... I wonder, wonder, wonder....
They sent him to Syria because he was a Syrian native, and Canada had turned him over to the US because they didn't want to deal with him anymore.
They did this because turning him over to Syria was compliant with Article 3 of the UN Charter Against Torture. This was the finding of the Arar Commission convened by the Canadian government, page 206 of the Commissioner's report on analysis and recommendations available here: http://www.ararcommission.ca/eng/26.htm
Or, you know, you could jump to a bullshit conclusion without doing any research...
Quote:
Perhaps he just wanted attention?
Or, you know, he could want money or to make a political statement, it wouldn't be the first time such a thing happened.
Quote:
We are not talking about "US law enforcement" here, and I wonder how you have a position on the matter from which you could judge whether or not the possibillity of torture is hard to believe.
So I'm not allowed to ask questions and have an open mind? You don't think it's important to try and do research and find information about these sorts of things? Anytime someone makes an allegation against he "big evil US government" we should just take their word on face value?
|
kotik
fuckingsuperhero
Registered: 06/29/04
Posts: 3,531
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: WhiteRabbitt]
#6079717 - 09/19/06 07:47 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
WhiteRabbitt said: I'm sure the CIA knew a little more about him than we do. They don't just go around randomly kidnapping people.
i have to agree. can we also agree that the cia has little interests in terrorists (as if this guy really were one)?
-------------------- No statements made in any post or message by myself should be construed to mean that I am now, or have ever been, participating in or considering participation in any activities in violation of any local, state, or federal laws. All posts are works of fiction.
|
Fospher
Crime FightingMaster Criminal
Registered: 02/09/05
Posts: 2,033
Loc: The Netherlands
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: StroFun]
#6080009 - 09/19/06 08:31 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
The US courts send the wrong people to the electric chair every once in a while too, and to a less extreme extent, people sit in prisons falsely accused on a daily basis. Is it wrong to be incarcerated while you abided by the law? Should the government stop sending people to prison or violent crimes because they make mistakes, and there is no such thing as a perfect system?
|
kotik
fuckingsuperhero
Registered: 06/29/04
Posts: 3,531
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: Fospher]
#6081283 - 09/20/06 05:00 AM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
Fospher said: Is it wrong to be incarcerated while you abided by the law?
yes, it is wrong to be falsly accused and sent to jail for something you did not do. (just in case this wasn't rhetorical)
Quote:
Fospher said: Should the government stop sending people to prison or violent crimes because they make mistakes, and there is no such thing as a perfect system?
yes, the government should stop sending people to prison and to their deaths because of the mistakes.
easiest questions ever!
-------------------- No statements made in any post or message by myself should be construed to mean that I am now, or have ever been, participating in or considering participation in any activities in violation of any local, state, or federal laws. All posts are works of fiction.
|
Fospher
Crime FightingMaster Criminal
Registered: 02/09/05
Posts: 2,033
Loc: The Netherlands
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: kotik]
#6084084 - 09/20/06 08:41 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
easiest questions ever!
Then I guess it's too bad you couldn't answer the second one.
And miss the whole crux of my post for that matter.
|
zappaisgod
horrid asshole
Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: Fospher]
#6090733 - 09/22/06 03:34 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Tell me again, because I seem to be a little confused by the title of this thread. Who tortured this guy?
--------------------
|
MushmanTheManic
Stranger
Registered: 04/21/05
Posts: 4,587
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: zappaisgod]
#6090756 - 09/22/06 03:38 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Republicans.
|
zappaisgod
horrid asshole
Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
|
Ahhhh, right. Thanks.
--------------------
|
badreligion2good
Uncertain
Registered: 02/21/06
Posts: 888
|
Re: Innocent man tortured by CIA [Re: zappaisgod]
#6091293 - 09/22/06 07:04 PM (17 years, 6 months ago) |
|
|
Our country has committed more crimes against humanity than any militant muslim organization or corrupt head of state that I know of. The list goes on and on, every day they add a few more wrongs, and hardly any rights. If I began listing all the messed up things I know, I could go on for hours. I believe this man was tortured, along with hundreds, or more likely, thousands of other people of mid-eastern descent, based on a hunch. Everytime we fuck up like that we give the militants more reason to hate us, we create more angry muslims that wish to kill us evil infidels. I cant say I blame them sometimes.
-------------------- All I know is that I dont know. Row, row, row, you boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
|
zappaisgod
horrid asshole
Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 9 months
|
|
Tell me again, because I seem to be a little confused by the title of this thread. Who tortured this guy?
From the article that started this thread, first paragraph:
"TORONTO (Sept. 19) - The United States "very likely" sent a Canadian software engineer to Syria, where he was tortured, based on the false accusation by Canadian authorities that he was suspected of links to al-Qaida, according to a new government report."
Are you so rabid in your America hating inadequacy that you cannot read a fairly simple sentence and extract the information that 1. Syrians tortured him, if anyone 2. False accusations were made by Canadians, if by anyone 3. US involvement is only dubbed "very likely". As in not confirmed. As in shut the fuck up until you know something Dave Chan of al-Reuters
Quote:
Our country has committed more crimes against humanity than any militant muslim organization or corrupt head of state that I know of.
This is fatuous stupidity and merely illustrates the lack of depth of your knowledge.
--------------------
|
|