A man the Canadian Security Intelligence Service considers a dangerous Islamic extremist -- and for whom Mohamed Harkat is said to have worked as a chauffeur -- was not a terrorist nor was he a member of Osama bin Laden's network, according to a Federal Court judge.
In a recent judgment quashing the security certificate against Syrian-born immigrant Hassan Almrei, Justice Richard Mosley rejected CSIS's allegation that the late "mujahedeen" leader Ibn Khattab, with whom Almrei was also associated, was a terrorist.
The judge acknowledged that there are reasonable grounds for others to disagree.
"The weight of the evidence before me in this case, favours a finding that he was not a terrorist in his own right or a terrorist patron," Mosley wrote.
"The information and evidence presented in this case, does not, in my opinion, support a finding that Khattab was a member of the bin Laden network."
The Mosley decision was raised by Harkat's defence lawyers during the cross-examination of a CSIS agent Thursday, who is known only as John to protect his identity.
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Prior Federal Court ruling cited in Harkat's defence
posted on January 25, 2010 | in Category Security Certificates | PermaLink
by Mohammed Adam
Source: The Ottawa Citizen
URL: [link]
Date: January 22, 2010
Mujahedeen leader in Almrei case 'not a terrorist,' judge found