Maher Arar, 36, is a Canadian software engineer. He immigrated with his family from Syria to Canada in 1988, when he was 17. He earned his Bachelor's degree (computer engineering) from McGill University, perhaps the most prestigious university in Canada, and his Master's degree (telecommunications) from a branch of the University of Québec. While at McGill, he met his future wife, who went on to obtain her Ph.D. in finance from McGill. They have two young children. Mr. Arar ran his own consulting firm for some time, and then was employed as a telecommunications engineer by a firm in Ottawa.
In 2002, he and his family vacationed in Tunisia. On the way home to Ottawa, he flew through JFK in New York. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police mistakenly identified Mr. Arar as no longer a Canadian, although he was traveling on a Canadian passport. Also, the RCMP had been conducting a terrorist investigation in Ottawa, and had earlier observed a conversation between Arar and another engineer who happened to be a "person of interest" in the investigation. This engineer -- the one with whom he was seen speaking -- was not himself a suspect, nor, of course, was Mr. Arar.
Nevertheless, based on this information from the RCMP, the United States seized Mr. Arar as he was changing flights at JFK, interrogated him for two weeks in this country, refused him access to an attorney, and then flew him in a small jet to Syria. He was beaten upon arrival in Damascus.
He was imprisoned in a 6' x 3' cell without light, with rats as company, for ten months. He was tortured the entire time, beaten regularly by cables. Syrian authorities shared the results of his "interrogation" with the United States, and were given access to the results of his interrogation by American intelligence. He was released in October 2003, because the Syrians were unable to find any terrorist links. He was returned to Canada, where he has lived since with his family.
His capture and torture apparently was part of the Bush Administration's "rendition" program.
Arar's lawsuit against the United States is on appeal from its dismissal by a lower court, after the Administration invoked the "state secrets" privilege.
The Canadian government apologized for its part in the fiasco in January 2007, after a lengthy and thorough investigation, and paid Amar $10.5 million in compensation, plus his legal fees. Formal apologies were offered by both the RCMP and the Canadian government.
Former Attorney General Gonzales, on behalf of the Bush Administration, denied any evidence of torture, and asserted that Arar's rendition to Syria had been legal and fully within the Administration's rightful powers.
On October 18, 2007, Congressmen from both parties apologized to Mr. Arar and called on the Bush Administration to apologize on behalf of the nation. An Administration spokesman said there were no plans for an apology. Amar remains banned from entry into the United States.
Today, Secretary of State Rice did acknowledge that the matter had been "mishandled." Mistakes were made, apparently, although she did not use those words.
The Bush Administration still has not apologized.
------------------------Information for this report was obtained from Wikipedia, and from two articles in MSNBC.
8 comments:
Born in Syria? Vacationed in Tunisia? He MUST be a terrorist!
Yeah, well, remember:
1. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.
2. If he hadn't been guilty, the police wouldn't have arrested him.
3. The only good Arab is a dead Arab.
4. The King can do no wrong.
Kill 'em all! Let God sort 'em out!
egg-ZAK-ly
Also:
5. Would you rather fight 'em over there, or on the streets of Grand Junction?
6. So some camel boy got roughed up a little? So what? How about all the Americans that died in 9/11? Huh? How about that, huh?
7. If you don't love America, why don't you run off to Canada and see how you like it there?
1. You can make a vegan omelette without breaking eggs.
2. I have to agree there. I know the police here, at least, never do anything wrong.
3. I hear they make good shoe-shiners, too.
4. No, but we all know God is the only King we have. He doesn't make mistakes, but we flawed humans do (even W, though they are rare).
5. I'd rather fight 'em here. I have shotguns and rifles in my closet. (only mildly traumatizing...and perhaps why I scrambled out of it)
6. Another good point. 3,000 American deaths totally writes a blank check for any type of cruelty or mass slaughter W. can mete out.
7. Screw Canada - I'm going to Tijuana!
Hmmm ... some excellent points. However:
1. That's an omelette?
2. Yeah, I grew up in a small town, just like GJ. Only Eagle Scouts got to be cops -- they moved directly from Senior Patrol Leader to city police officer. Small towns are so peaceful -- the cops mainly just give talks about crosswalk safety to school kids and help old ladies across the street.
Hahahahahahahahaha. You bet.
3. So, see, this priest and this rabbi, they stop in the street,and they're watching this little Arab shining shoes, ok? And the priest, he goes ....
4. Only mistake W ever made was putting up with that goddam liberal Colin Powell as long as he did.
5. Should I comment? I thought you scrambled back into ... oh, never mind. You really have guns and rifles?
6. Eye for an eye. Boss yells at employee, employee goes home and kicks his dog. Osama kills us Americans, we go torture Canadians.
7. Dude. You ever been to Tiajuana? It ain't no Vancouver.
1. You uncultured Northwestern swine! Here's a recipe for you.
2. Speaking of swine...
3. "Hey Arab shoeshine man, want to go grab a pork omelette?"
4. Two words: Illegal immigration. I can't believe his pansy stance on that.
5. I actually haven't ever scrambled either way. I was just trying to be a bit humorous. And yes, there really are guns in there. Several.
6. Screw eye for an eye. You take out my eye, and I'm gonna cruise missile your ass.
7. Yeah, that's what I love about it.
1. Hmm. It actually sounds very edible. You cook it and I'll eat it.
3. Whereupon, the Arab and the rabbi take turns stoning the priest to death. (There's a morale there, somewhere, but I haven't figured out a clever way to express it yet.) :-)
4. No, no. It's ok. He hasn't gone soft. Really! It's just another way of screwing the American worker.
6. "Collateral damage is just another way of saying, I really care!" (I don't know what that means, either, it just sounded sort of country.)
7. Yeah, total urban chaos can definitely be fun, I gotta admit.
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