[REPORT-BACK] Secret Trials challenged on all fronts!

posted on December 15, 2004 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

Original author: N/A
Source: Justice Coailition for Adil Charkaoui Listserv
Date: December 15, 2004


Friday, 10 December, was the second cross-Canada day of action against secret trials in Canada; with actions in Vancouver, Edmonton, Owen Sound, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax calling for the abolition of secret trials in Canada and freedom for the detainees. 10 December is not only Human Rights Day, it is the second anniversary of the detention of Mohamed Harkat under the discriminatory security certificate regime in Ottawa.


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New MP3s added to Downloads Section

posted on December 14, 2004 | in Category Website-Related | PermaLink

I have added three new audio files to the Downloads section. They are speeches by Matthew Behrens, Ahmed Jaballah (Mahmoud Jaballah's eldest son), and Mona El-Fouli (wife of Mohammed Mahjoub.) They were recorded at an information evening about security certificates held at McMaster University in Hamilton on November 25th 2004. You can access these new downloads HERE


CSIS interviews spread fear in community

posted on December 14, 2004 | in Category CSIS | PermaLink

Original author: Kevin Ma
Source: Centretown News (Ottawa)
Date: December 10, 2004

Abid Jan says he came to Canada to find peace and security. Instead, he found only fear and loathing. He blames Canada's intelligence services. Jan is a Pakistani journalist who fled his homeland in 2002 because of death threats from local intelligence agents. He was granted refugee status in Canada, and now works as a community development officer at the South-East Ottawa Centre for a Healthy Community.

He says that on April 20, 2004, when he went to the immigration department for what he thought was a routine meeting, he was instead interviewed by a man from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, his third interview with the agency since his arrival in Canada. "The truth is" Jan says of his experience with CSIS, "we suffered as much here as we did in Pakistan. We face the same fear here."

Community groups say some Muslim immigrants live in fear because of anti-terrorism investigations conducted by CSIS.

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Bloc and NDP attack security certificates in Parliament

posted on December 14, 2004 | in Category | PermaLink

Source: Coalition Justice pour Adil Charkaoui Listserv quoting Hansard Date: December 10, 2004 Below are some questions raised in Parliament in Ottawa by BQ and NDP on secret trials Dec. 10. [On va l'envoyer en francais sous peu.]

Ms. Monique Guay (Riviere-du-Nord, BQ): Mr. Speaker, today, on International Human Rights Day, the government needs to examine its conscience. In 2002 Parliament modified the composition of the Immigration and Refugee Board, reducing the number of board members from two to one, and creating an appeal division. The appeal division is still not operational and the minister does not understand how urgent it is that it be implemented. How can a government that denounces the democratic deficit tolerate this delay in carrying out the will of Parliament and what is it waiting for to implement the refugee appeal division as called for by law? [English] Hon. Hedy Fry (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, this is only one part of the refugee process. We are looking, as a department, at the whole refugee process. There are many components of it that we feel need to be dealt with. There is going to be a complete review of the refugee process, including Iran.

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The fight for the soul of Canada's justice system (long)

posted on December 13, 2004 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

Original author: Andrew Duffy Source: The Ottawa Citizen URL: [link] Date: December 12, 2004 TERROR V. TORTURE: Even the judges hate the security certificate process

Justice James Hugessen took the podium at a Montreal conference and dispensed with his usual disclaimer about speaking only for himself. He was, Judge Hugessen said, representing his colleagues on the bench of the Federal Court as he turned his remarks to special provisions of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act -- provisions that require judges to hear government evidence against foreign nationals accused of terrorism in the absence of both detainees and their lawyers. The extraordinary measures are part of the security certificate process, and using it, the government deports people whom the Canadian Security Intelligence Service deems terrorists.

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New photos from December 10th 2004 Rally

posted on December 11, 2004 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

News: Rally in Toronto on Dec 10th, International Human Rights Day

New photos courtesy of John Bonnar HERE: [link]

NUPGE joins campaign to abolish security certificates

posted on December 11, 2004 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

Original author: NUPGE staff Source: NUPGE Website (National Union of Public and General Employees) URL: [link] Date: December 9, 2004 "Security certificates and secret trials deny citizens one of the most basic and universal of all human rights." - James Clancy

Ottawa - The 337,000-member National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is observing Dec. 10, the 56th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by joining a long list of organizations demanding an end to Canada's use of Security Certificates and secret trials. Dec. 10 also marks the second anniversary of Mohamed Harkat being held under a Security Certificate, as well as the last day of his hearing in a Canadian court to determine his fate. Harkat is alleged to be a member of al Qaeda, but evidence against him has never been made public. "Security certificates and secret trials deny citizens one of the most basic and universal of all human rights, the right to fundamental justice," says NUPGE president James Clancy.

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Federal Court upholds 'security certificates'

posted on December 10, 2004 | in Category Canada | PermaLink

Original author: Globe and Mail update with Canadian Press (CP) Source: The Globe and Mail URL: [link] Date: December 10, 2004
It is constitutional to hold suspected terrorists without charge or appeal, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled Friday. The decision is a blow to the hopes of Moroccan-born Adil Charkaoui, whose supporters have been fighting against the "security certificate" under which he has been held since the spring of last year. Mr. Charkaoui has lost three bids for bail. He is accused of being an al-Qaeda agent and faces deportation to his native country, where his supporters say he could be tortured.

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Court hears final arguments in Harkat case

posted on December 10, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink

Original author: CBC News Staff
Source: CBC.CA
URL: [link]
Date: December 10, 2004


OTTAWA - Lawyers for a local man accused of being a terrorist made their final arguments in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday. Paul Copeland, Harkat's lawyer

Paul Copeland, Harkat's lawyer Mohamed Harkat has spent the past two years in an Ottawa jail, held on national security certificate.

If the federal government's case against him is upheld, he could be sent back to his native Algeria. The federal spy agency, CSIS, believes Harkat is a member of al Qaeda.

But much of the evidence is secret, even from Harkat and his lawyer, Paul Copeland.

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Appeals court upholds security certificates

posted on December 10, 2004 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink

Original author: CTV.ca News Staff
Source: CTV.ca
URL: [link]
Date: December 10, 2004

The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the security certificates federal officials use to detain terror suspects without charge or bail are constitutional.

Upholding a December 2003 lower court ruling, a three-member panel of Federal Court justices issued its decision on Friday.

In the decision, the court said that Moroccan-born permanent Canadian resident Adil Charkaoui can be lawfully imprisoned while the courts consider the merits of his security certificate.

Issued to individuals whose cases are deemed relevant to national security, the certificates are reviewed and signed by the public safety and immigration ministers before being referred to the Federal Court.

A judge then hears evidence in the absence of the accused.

Charkaoui, 31, has been in custody since May 2003 on suspicions he is linked to the al Qaeda terror network. During his 20 months in detention, he has lost three bids for bail and has yet to be charged or see all the evidence against him.

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