Original author: Andrew Duffy
Source: The Ottawa Citizen online
URL: [link]
Date: October 23, 2004
Al-Qaeda suspect was tortured to build case, lawyer to argue
The lawyer for Ottawa's Mohamed Harkat will attempt to establish in Federal Court that an al-Qaeda lieutenant was tortured into giving evidence against his client, who is accused of being part of the terrorist network.
Abu Zubaydah, an al-Qaeda operational planner in U.S. custody since March 2002, has been a key source of information for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in building a case against Mr. Harkat.
Mr. Harkat, 35, faces deportation to his native Algeria if a Federal Court judge accepts that the security service's case against him is "reasonable."
His lawyer, Paul Copeland, wants CSIS to acknowledge that the information they received from Mr. Zubaydah came as the result of his being denied medical treatment for gunshot wounds.
Mr. Zubaydah was handed over to U.S. officials after being arrested in a violent raid on a guest house in Faisalabad, Pakistan during which he was shot in the groin and thigh. Both the Washington Post and New York Times have reported that Central Intelligence Agency interrogators selectively denied him painkillers as a means of gaining his co-operation.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Mohamed Harkat
Information on Harkat not 'credible'
posted on October 24, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLinkHarkat supporters hold rally
posted on October 22, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
Original author: Sarah Gilmour
Source: The Ottawa Sun online
URL: [link]
Date: October 22, 2004
Five blindfolded men chained together in front of the words "dignity" and "rights" on the Human Rights Monument served as the backdrop for a rally in support of Mohamed Harkat last night. In what's expected to be their last rally before Harkat's security certificate hearing, members of the Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee were also demonstrating against the certificates, which allow evidence to remain secret.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Source: The Ottawa Sun online
URL: [link]
Date: October 22, 2004
Five blindfolded men chained together in front of the words "dignity" and "rights" on the Human Rights Monument served as the backdrop for a rally in support of Mohamed Harkat last night. In what's expected to be their last rally before Harkat's security certificate hearing, members of the Justice for Mohamed Harkat Committee were also demonstrating against the certificates, which allow evidence to remain secret.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Accused terrorist Harkat fears trial secrecy
posted on October 22, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
Original author: Andrew Duffy
Source: The Ottawa Citizen online
URL: [link]
Date: October 22, 2004
Federal Court hearing into the Harkat case begins Monday
Lawyer says rulings make it difficult to prepare Harkat's defence
Accused terrorist Mohamed Harkat will testify for the first time in his own defence next week, but his lawyer says so many details of the allegations against him remain secret that it's impossible to prepare him for court. Mr. Harkat, 35, is an Algerian refugee who worked as a gas station attendant and pizza delivery man before being arrested under a security certificate on Dec. 10, 2002. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) alleges that Mr. Harkat is a member of al-Qaeda and has repeatedly lied to them about his terrorist links. Mr. Harkat denies any involvement with terrorists and intends to take the witness stand in Federal Court next week to proclaim his innocence. "It's to give his evidence in response to what little we know about the case," Mr. Harkat's lawyer, Paul Copeland, said in an interview yesterday.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Accused terrorist Mohamed Harkat will testify for the first time in his own defence next week, but his lawyer says so many details of the allegations against him remain secret that it's impossible to prepare him for court. Mr. Harkat, 35, is an Algerian refugee who worked as a gas station attendant and pizza delivery man before being arrested under a security certificate on Dec. 10, 2002. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) alleges that Mr. Harkat is a member of al-Qaeda and has repeatedly lied to them about his terrorist links. Mr. Harkat denies any involvement with terrorists and intends to take the witness stand in Federal Court next week to proclaim his innocence. "It's to give his evidence in response to what little we know about the case," Mr. Harkat's lawyer, Paul Copeland, said in an interview yesterday.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Human Rights Watch Report claims Zubayda is being tortured
posted on October 12, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
In the report summarised below, there is further substantiation of the claim that Abu Zubayda is being tortured under US custody. Abu Zubayda is one of the people that CSIS apparently claims recognised [both Mohamed Harkat's picture and] Adil Charkaoui's picture. After earlier evidence that Zubayda was being tortured was presented in court by Charkaoui's lawyer and the witness Abdulrahman Khadr, the judge who is hearing Charkaoui's case decided to temporarily suspend all consideration of Zubayda's testimony. Perhaps this new report will convince him to make that a permanent decision. Unfortunately, Charkaoui is not able to cross-examine Abu Zoubaydah about any testimony he may have given against him.
More generally, the torture of these detainees, and open coverage of this torture by a mainstream group like Human Rights Watch, shows just how far the US has come in terms of the normalisation of torture, and the use of the "terrorist" label to justify new areas of violence and abuse by the state.
The report can be accessed at [link]
Read on...
[ Read the rest ... ]
More generally, the torture of these detainees, and open coverage of this torture by a mainstream group like Human Rights Watch, shows just how far the US has come in terms of the normalisation of torture, and the use of the "terrorist" label to justify new areas of violence and abuse by the state.
The report can be accessed at [link]
Read on...
[ Read the rest ... ]
Innes Road jail likened to Iraqi prison camp
posted on October 07, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
NOTE: The facility in question is the same one that Mohamed Harkat
has been held in since December 2002.
Original author: Lee Greenberg and Jake Rupert
Source: The Ottawa Citizen online
URL: [link] (subscribers only)
Date: October 06, 2004
Lawyer wants inmate freed unless conditions are improved promptly
A lawyer for an Ottawa man facing two murder trials has accused the provincial government of running the Innes Road jail like an "Iraqi prison camp" in an application that requests the accused be released if conditions don't improve. The application, filed late last month, states that during Wahab Dadshani's two months in segregation at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, he has been subject to "physical and psychological cruelty." Mr. Dadshani has been deprived of regular showers, physical activity and meetings with his lawyer, the document states. His health has deteriorated. "The applicant has been housed in cells that are not fit for human habitation due to infestations of insects and other periodic problems," according to the document. Mr. Dadshani's lawyer, Susan Mulligan, calls living conditions at the Innes Road facility subhuman.
[ Read the rest ... ]
A lawyer for an Ottawa man facing two murder trials has accused the provincial government of running the Innes Road jail like an "Iraqi prison camp" in an application that requests the accused be released if conditions don't improve. The application, filed late last month, states that during Wahab Dadshani's two months in segregation at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, he has been subject to "physical and psychological cruelty." Mr. Dadshani has been deprived of regular showers, physical activity and meetings with his lawyer, the document states. His health has deteriorated. "The applicant has been housed in cells that are not fit for human habitation due to infestations of insects and other periodic problems," according to the document. Mr. Dadshani's lawyer, Susan Mulligan, calls living conditions at the Innes Road facility subhuman.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Socialist Worker Magazine Interviews Campaign Manager Christian Legeais
posted on October 06, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
The interview focuses on the CBC's attempt to do an in-prison television interview with Mohamed. The CBC has since been granted permission to enter the prison and do the interview. This as a result of letters of protest to Correctional Services spokesperson Bruce O'Neill written by Mohamed's supporters.
HERE is the Socialist Worker story by Ayesha Adhami, September 22, 2004.
Terror suspect (Harkat) attempts novel legal tactic
posted on September 16, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
Original author: Colin Freeze
Source: The Globe and Mail online
URL: [link]
Date: September 16, 2004
Harkat requests 'friend of court' to dispute secret evidence against him
A terrorism suspect is asking that he be allowed a court-appointed representative who can get behind closed doors and dispute the secret evidence being levied against him. Mohamed Harkat, an Algerian refugee claimant, is asking for an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, so that he can stave off attempts to deport him. He is one of five immigrants currently being detained as a potential al-Qaeda sleeper agent. Ottawa is moving to deport them, and Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel, by using a rarely used and highly controversial process.
[ Read the rest ... ]
A terrorism suspect is asking that he be allowed a court-appointed representative who can get behind closed doors and dispute the secret evidence being levied against him. Mohamed Harkat, an Algerian refugee claimant, is asking for an amicus curiae, or friend of the court, so that he can stave off attempts to deport him. He is one of five immigrants currently being detained as a potential al-Qaeda sleeper agent. Ottawa is moving to deport them, and Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel, by using a rarely used and highly controversial process.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Harkat review urged
posted on August 10, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
Original author: Lisa Lisle
Source: The Ottawa Sun
URL: n/a
Date: August 7, 2004
Harkat review urged
Judge wants new meetings with Feds
A Federal Court judge wants the government to take another look at its top-secret evidence against Mohamed Harkat to determine if it should still be kept under wraps. Justice Eleanor Dawson asked last month to meet with government lawyers "for the purpose of determining if as a result of the effluxion of time any further summary of the information or evidence may be provided to Mr. Harkat." "Some time has passed since the court examined the information on which the security certificate was based in order to consider whether disclosure of all or part of that information would be injurious to national security or to the safety of any person," she wrote in her order. A closed hearing was scheduled for yesterday to also consider a request from Harkat's lawyer, Paul Copeland, for additional disclosure, but it was cancelled, giving the government time to consider allowing another lawyer into the hearings.
[ Read the rest ... ]
A Federal Court judge wants the government to take another look at its top-secret evidence against Mohamed Harkat to determine if it should still be kept under wraps. Justice Eleanor Dawson asked last month to meet with government lawyers "for the purpose of determining if as a result of the effluxion of time any further summary of the information or evidence may be provided to Mr. Harkat." "Some time has passed since the court examined the information on which the security certificate was based in order to consider whether disclosure of all or part of that information would be injurious to national security or to the safety of any person," she wrote in her order. A closed hearing was scheduled for yesterday to also consider a request from Harkat's lawyer, Paul Copeland, for additional disclosure, but it was cancelled, giving the government time to consider allowing another lawyer into the hearings.
[ Read the rest ... ]
An Interview With Mohamed Harkat (July 2004)
posted on August 08, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
More news:
Lisa Lisle has been following Mohamed's story from Day One. Read her interview with Mohamed Harkat, originally published in the Ottawa Sun and reprint... HERE
Lisa Lisle has been following Mohamed's story from Day One. Read her interview with Mohamed Harkat, originally published in the Ottawa Sun and reprint... HERE
Wife's lonely vigil is her obsession
posted on August 04, 2004 | in Category Mohamed Harkat | PermaLink
Original author: Lisa Lisle
Source: The Ottawa Sun Online
URL: [link]
Date: July 31, 2004
Wife's lonely vigil is her obsession
Passing through the gates at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre for one of her cherished 20-minute visits with her husband, Sophie Harkat thinks about his 36th birthday next week. But instead of making plans for a party or a simple family gathering, Sophie Harkat sees it as yet another special occasion stolen from them by the Canadian government, which has accused her husband of having ties to terrorism. "I thought my second wedding anniversary was bad," she said of the month following Mohamed's arrest. "It's sad to say, but you kind of get used to it." And as time drags on, Sophie is left wondering when they'll be able to celebrate again. Next Friday, Mohamed's birthday will be like every other twice-weekly visit -- 20 minutes and no gifts from home. "As soon as it's finished, that's it," she said of the strict visitation rules. But the one-time government worker's life has changed in so many other ways since her husband's arrest.
[ Read the rest ... ]
Passing through the gates at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre for one of her cherished 20-minute visits with her husband, Sophie Harkat thinks about his 36th birthday next week. But instead of making plans for a party or a simple family gathering, Sophie Harkat sees it as yet another special occasion stolen from them by the Canadian government, which has accused her husband of having ties to terrorism. "I thought my second wedding anniversary was bad," she said of the month following Mohamed's arrest. "It's sad to say, but you kind of get used to it." And as time drags on, Sophie is left wondering when they'll be able to celebrate again. Next Friday, Mohamed's birthday will be like every other twice-weekly visit -- 20 minutes and no gifts from home. "As soon as it's finished, that's it," she said of the strict visitation rules. But the one-time government worker's life has changed in so many other ways since her husband's arrest.
[ Read the rest ... ]
