Canadian Falsely Accused Of Terrorism

Panel Faults Canada, U.S. For Torture Of Software Engineer In Syria

(CBS/AP)  A software engineer falsely accused of being a terrorist by Canadian police was shipped to Syria by the United States, where he was imprisoned and tortured, according to a Canadian commission.

The 2 1/2-year commission of inquiry into the case of Syrian-born Maher Arar exonerated him of all suspicion of terrorist activity and urged the Canadian government to pay compensation.

"They arrested me. They never told me what they had against me," Arar tells CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian. "I was a disappeared person. My family did not know where I was. I knew I was sent to Syria to be tortured."

Arar is perhaps the world's best known victim of extraordinary rendition — or the U.S. transfer of foreign terror suspects to third countries without court approval.

The Washington Post reported that since Sept. 11, the CIA has captured about 3,000 suspected terrorists. Many, the newspaper said, were secretly shipped to other countries, where they were often tortured.

But former counterterrorism official and CBS News consultant John Brennan says rendition does have its place.

"I think it allows us to have the option to move a person, who was involved in terrorism or terrorism-related activities to a country where they can be effectively questioned or prosecuted," Brennan tells Keteyian.

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Watch more of Keteyian's interview with Arar
Read the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar

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"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," Commissioner Dennis O'Connor said in a three-volume report on the inquiry's findings, only 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, during a stopover on his way home to Canada from vacation in Tunisia.

Arar said U.S. authorities sent him to Syria for interrogation as a suspected al Qaeda member, an allegation he denied.

He spent nearly a year in prison in Syria. After his release in 2003, Arar made detailed allegations about extensive interrogation, beatings and whippings with electrical cable in Syrian prison cells.

Beyond beatings with a two-inch cable - a charge denied by Syria - Arar told CBS News he was held in a 6-foot underground cell, which he calls a "grave."

"This underground cell ended up being my home for the next 10 months and 10 days," he said.

In 2005, Arar spoke with 60 Minutes II's Vicki Mabrey about his "year in hell.". He also detailed his experience in a 2004 interview.

Justice O'Connor also criticized the U.S. and recommended that Ottawa file formal protests with both Washington and the Syrian government over Arar's treatment.

"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," O'Connor wrote.

The U.S. already faces intense criticism from human rights groups over the practice of taking suspects to countries where they could be tortured.

[davelyoung1]

Congress needs to invite Mr. Arar to speak out under oath, but escort him with Congressional guards and protections, so he does not get deported to somewhere else. Maybe they can ask Canada's help on this.

[davelyoung1]

America is this one of Bush%u2019s secret prison locations?
Run clandestinely by the CIA White House police.
Is this why he is fighting Geneva Convention rights,
Saying humanity must have divine dignity treatment?
Mr. Bush are your prisons, inside the axis of evil?

RonnieHM wrote:

"Syria has never cooperated with us on anything, much less the war on terror..."

Really? Because just a few days ago, Syria spoiled a terrorist attack on the US Consulate in Syria. Bush's gov even thanked Syria.

Bush has closer ties to Syria then he'd like you to think he has.

[whatiyam]

where did they get that news analyst Brennan that thinks you get good information from torture? or maybe he just likes the idea of torture even though it is worthless in terms of intelligence. In WWII we didn't torture, now we need it. well then others will torture our soldiers when they capture them.

[searingtruth]

"... Syria has never cooperated with us on anything ..."
RonnieHM

Hee hee.

Can you spell O-I-L.

And, of course, torture.
T-O-R-T-U-R-E


"We have become the evil we fought."
SearingTruth

Freedom Clock - www.searingtruth.com

[ronniehm]

This guy's story is fishy. Syria has never cooperated with us on anything, much less the war on terror, and CBS's implication that there's a CIA secret prison in Syria is absurd. I know some of you people hate Bush, but this one is a stretch.

[davelyoung1]

With the United States handing over a Canadian citizen to Syrian agents claimed as the axis of evil, I wonder if the United States has a secret prison there for interogation. This is a strange bedfellow for the war against terrorism.

[searingtruth]

It's not "You have nothing to fear unless you're doing something wrong."
It's "You have nothing to fear unless the government is doing something wrong."
SearingTruth

"The smell of torture, the smell of death, the smell of fear ... the smell of Republican America."
SearingTruth

"It is an old tale. Catastrophe assaults the senses of a free nation. Fear, a tyrant's only ally, is seized. Democracy, a despot's greatest foe, is assaulted. The people, liberties only defense, are subdued. All in accomplice of those sworn, upon death, to protect them."
SearingTruth

"And then there was the President Who Cried Wolf, five hundred times."
SearingTruth

"When everything is secret, everything is legal."
SearingTruth

"History does not record a government of the people assured in secret."
SearingTruth

"Once again, here's how it goes. First, a tyrant 'suspends' just a 'little' liberty, to protect democracy. Then, a tyrant monitors everyone, everywhere, all the time, to assure freedom. Finally, a tyrant imprisons or executes all those observed in abeyance of authority, to uphold liberty. No step may proceed without the other, the accomplice of a complacent people, and the corruption of a civil state."
SearingTruth

"We have become the evil we fought."
SearingTruth

Freedom Clock - www.searingtruth.com

[babus2]

Torture has not solved anything, but has made things worse. It is time we try something different. Maybe kindness, listening, respect and understanding would be more fruitful.
r

[mwe3wm]

I want to thank CBS for this forum.

Have you seen the way Attorney General Gonzales and President Bush smirk when they tell us something they don't really believe. The latest is when Gonzales said he did not know of any reports that Mr. Arar was tortured.

I don't think either one would be very good at poker.

Michael Edwards
Texas

[emhawks]

"Worse than Nixon ever planned to be" is exactly right! I would add this:
Don't forget that Bush is the "mouthpiece" of this adm.; Cheney is the brains. Cheney works in the shadows & prefers it that way. It is much easier for him to be successful in advancing his agenda & plans that way. I wish the media would devote more time to Cheney & put more scrutiny on what he's doing. It concerns me that more people don't seem to realize how truly dangerous he is.
All concerned Americans need to vote in a new Congress in Nov. Hopefully then impeachment proceedings will be started against Bush & Cheney. America cannot withstand (2) more years of this adm.!

[the74blaster]

Very well stated. Hopefully there are far more of us who will vote in the upcoming elections.

[alphaa10-2009]

The American people now recognize Bush has become more and more like the people he falsely claims to oppose with his fictitious "war on terror". You can expect torture, kidnapping, detention in secret prisons, etc. from al Qaeda-- so who is Bush to claim he opposes terrorism? He has brought it firmly to roost under the seal of the USA!

In Thailand and Hungary today, and all around the world, common people are absolutely fed up with official lies and hypocrisy. They want the truth, they want accountability, they want results. And above all, they want true democracy.

Despite his preaching about democracy, Bush has done exactly the opposite, bringing Americans only more fear-- a never-ending war, with terror at home from Big Brother, the "security services" and a lapdog US Supreme Court. P.T.Barnum of demagoguery that he is, Bush believes a sucker is born every minute, and be sure Bush will be there to exploit whatever ignorance, hatred and fear he can find.

But the one thing Bush cannot deal with is the truth, and his little empire of lies is imploding at this very moment. Even his own party regulars know he is a loser and a sham-- worse than Nixon ever planned to be.

[the74blaster]

It is sad that our government has decided to use the same tools for obtaining information from suspected terrorists that the Nazis used. Unfortunately, it appears the information they use to decide whether someone should be tortured is about as good as that used to base the Iraqi war on. Did we not invade Iraq to eliminate the torturing of Iraqi%u2019s by Sadam? I wonder what other embarrassments are in the classified portion of this report?

The only amusing part of this is watching the GOP "Flip Flop" their positions on the reasons for invading Iraq and contradict each other on the secret prisons. The right will probably consider me a "dirty" liberal for saying this, but I have always believed in voting for whom I believed was the best person for the job, regardless of their political party. Based on this and the other unbelievable failures over the last 5 years I am convinced it is time for a change. I am planning to vote a straight ticket for the first time in my life this november to show my disgust with our country%u2019s direction.

These failures are a result of us assigning higher priorities for our special interests or personal gain rather than the good of our own country. I ask everyone to review the performance of the candidates, ignore the negative campaigning that is intended to divert attention away from the candidate%u2019s track record and base your vote as though our country%u2019s future depends on it. Above all, Vote!!!!

[grazinggoat]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/arar/

[grazinggoat]

Here is the link

[grazinggoat]

Here is a nice link to CBC.ca which is the canadian broadcasting corporation with a detailed timeline into the Arar case.

This is a excerpt of the article.
But he (judge) finds that in this case, the rules were broken. As a result, he concludes, the FBI and U.S. security officials were given an inaccurate and unfair picture of the Arars and that this portrait dogged his entire time in a Syrian jail.

Are we controlling our neighbours intelligence system? Are we breaking their rules?

[drgoodwin12]

It's amazing that these self professed Christians when presented with undeniable arguments shut up.The truth shall set us free,that actually is a paraphrase from Jesus not Martin Luther King.It's also amazing how these self proffessed christians do not want to discuss what my religion has done over 3000 years.From the book of Samuel through the crusades (a land grab by all historic records.)the salem witch trials and the exportation of this country manufacturing base to countries like China with mandatory abortions.Maybe you can't argue with a sick mind but you can silence it.It's true mohammed was not a nice guy however that differs from the Koran which is not violent.
Mohammed ranks up there with Saul and David for pillaging and plundering.

[random_radar]

So if I correctly understand the self-proclaimed God-fearing, patriotic people below, they are saying that it is okay for the government to kidnap, torture and kill innocent people?

And further, that anyone who isn't in favor of kidnapping, torturing, and killing innocent people in the war on terror is a filthy liberal and a treasonous anti-american?

Hey, just between you and me, I think the fascist terrorists are pleased that you have joined their ranks. Maybe they will share the virgins with you while you all burn in Heaven.

[drgoodwin12]

You wish to attack Keyboom for his facts but yet you are unwilling to aknowledge that from the the Old Testament on Christianity has been perverted by individuals for their own gain.I am a Christian, beleive in limiting abortions, I beleive that the people who attacked our country should be punished.That is why we invaded Afghanistan only to leave it for the taliban/al queda to come back with a vengenance grow stronger and invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 or Al queda prior to our invasion.11 days into Bush's presidency he called a meeting for a plan to invade Iraq (source:"Against All Enemies" and "The Price of Loyalty") neither book has been rebuked on these charges they place both wriiten by Republicans. But I guess as the insults go you can't argue with a sick mind like yours.