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Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar

By Jeralyn, Section Terror Detainees
Posted on Fri Jun 03, 2005 at 08:04:42 PM EST
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In the closest thing to an apology Maher Arar has received to date, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham said Friday he regrets that it took so long to obtain Arar's release from Syria, where he was sent by the U.S. and allegedly tortured during a year of confinement.

Testifying at a federal inquiry into Canada's role in Arar's deportation Thursday, Graham said things might have been different had Canadian officials known what they know now.

"But in the light of what we knew at the time and the nature of the practices and what we were trying to achieve, I honestly believe we did, you know, the best we could and with the best motives and everyone was trying to get Mr. Arar out as quickly as we could," he said. "Clearly we would've preferred he'd been gotten out earlier, and I'm very sorry that he was not, for obvious reasons."

After testifying, Mr. Graham walked over to Mr. Arar to shake his hand. Interviewed afterwards, Arar said:

"I am very pleased with the acknowledgement."

Background on Maher Arar is here. Our coverage is accessible here.

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    Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar | 3 comments (3 topical)
    Re: Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar (none / 0) (#1)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:40 PM EST
    I will never apologize for the United States of America - I don't care what the facts are." -George H.W. Bush, commenting on the USS Vincennes' shooting down of an Iranian airliner, 1988

    Re: Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar (none / 0) (#2)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:40 PM EST
    Sad story but we will all have a story like this to tell, and it is bush who will do it to us like. Bin Laden and Bush the same guy. I for one can't wait until the round-up's start here for real.

    Re: Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:41 PM EST
    A shining example of why "blind patriotism" is a poisonous danger to any nation... Blaghdaddy calls here and now for a full completion of this inquiry and for the heads of government officials in Canada to roll. He's been painfully aware of this shameful blot on Canada's "peaceful" and "human rights champion" reputation since it first came to our national consciousness. It was an outrageous and criminal violation of Arar's human rights, and whoever in Canada sold him down the river to America's gulag thugs and their thug-friends should dance on the wind, as far as Blaghdaddy is concerned... In fact, Blagh's going to put his money where his mouth is by writing a scathing and expletive-filled exposé blog calling for charges against Canadian government officials...if one person reads it and takes action, Blagh's behind them with his vote and his feet. This madness must stop. Innocent people are being tortured and murdered in this free-for-all of self-interested "war on terrorism," and the only thing the evil perpetrators can say is "absurd," even as the gloss hardens on more and more torture and murder photos from their Gulags. People need to be executed at dawn for all of this...

    Canada Finally Issues Regrets to Maher Arar | 3 comments (3 topical)