Canada official: Torture can be tolerated

[jjw1965]

Canada official: Torture can be tolerated

UPI | September 15 2005

OTTAWA, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- A Canadian official, during a hearing about a Canadian citizen deported to Syria, said the country will cooperate with other nations that practice torture.

The Globe and Mail reports Canadian Security Intelligence Service lawyer Barbara McIsaac said that the government will work on anti-terrorism cases with governments that practice torture if it will save lives.

She was speaking at a commission hearing looking into Maher Arar's allegations that he was tortured while imprisoned in Syria.

The 36-year-old Syrian-born Canadian citizen was detained at New York's Kennedy Airport and deported to Syria despite his Canadian passport.

He claims he was tortured during interrogation there, until he lied that he was trained in Afghanistan by al-Qaida.

Canada was pressing for his release at the same time officials were pressing Syria for anti-terrorist intelligence.

McIsaac said the government now knows Arar was innocent and put the blame on U.S. authorities who deported him.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada official: Tort

McIsaac needs to be fired. So does anybody else who suggests that torture is okay or that we can send people to countries that will torture them. More than that, McIssac and anybody who backs her should be prosecuted.

Canada has signed international agreements against torture. We have helped to write these agreements. For some idiot from CSIS, or even from within cabinet, to decide that torture is suddenly acceptable is a betrayal of our stated commitment to human rights.

 

[jjw1965]

I agree Rev, it's real sad to see that the agreements we have made concerning prisoners has done a complete flip-flop.

 

[mrmom2]

I posted this story yesterday and the silence was deafening around here 8O It seems nobody cares about torture unless its happening to them or somebody they care about :roll:

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Canada official: Tort

I thought I'd typecd something about McIssac needing to be fired before.

 

[JomZ]

Ignorance is blissfully brutal in the world that we are living in. This comment shows how fine a line that security officials in these countries that claim to be ethical must walk.

If they (McIssac et al.) destroy the very notion of what being Canadian is in order to save it, then what have they accomplished?

 

[peapod]

I hope Maher Arar gets the biggest financial settlement in canadian history! He deserves it, not that money could ever make up what was done to him. When the taxpayers have to pay for it, maybe than heads will roll. Cisis is a disgrace! the keystone cops could do a better job.

 

[PoisonPete2]

how about 'O' tolerance for torture. Procecute to the full extent of the law those who willfully, by act or by omission, allowed or abetted the torture of anyone in the world. This would include those RCMP officers who allowed the special rendition of Arar to Syria. And their political handlers. Step up Mr. Graham and be judged.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

No to torture, not ever, not in Canada, not anywhere. No circumstances justify it.

 

[Reverend Blair]

This would include those RCMP officers who allowed the special rendition of Arar to Syria. And their political handlers. Step up Mr. Graham and be judged.

Excellent idea.

 

[Andem]

Sorry, but I see nothing in the article presented which agrees with the topic title.

>> A Canadian official, during a hearing about a Canadian citizen deported to Syria, said the country will cooperate with other nations that practice torture.

In the real world, of course you have to co-operate. It's called diplomacy. It doesn't mean we agree with the practices of these countries, but we have to co-operate with them to protect Canadians overseas and at home.

How can one rescue a Canadian in Iran if our countries will not co-operate?

 

[Reverend Blair]

The Globe and Mail reports Canadian Security Intelligence Service lawyer Barbara McIsaac said that the government will work on anti-terrorism cases with governments that practice torture if it will save lives.

She was speaking at a commission hearing looking into Maher Arar's allegations that he was tortured while imprisoned in Syria.

In the context of the Arar case, working with countries like Syria is aiding and abetting in torture, Andem. We know that they torture people and we know that anybody sent there under allegations of being a terrorist is likely to be tortured.

Diplomacy also includes saying no.

 

[LeftCoast]

No to torture, not ever, not in Canada, not anywhere. No circumstances justify it.

Torture is not even an effective interrogation method. Torture just begets more torture. People are likely to confess to anything under torture and implicate anyone else. Then of course, you have to torture the person implicated - who confesses and implicates someone else and so on, and so on, and so on ....


Sounds like Guantanamo.

 

[PoisonPete2]

Re: RE: Canada official: Torture can be tolerated

How can one rescue a Canadian in Iran if our countries will not co-operate?

Answer - if our countries co-operated there would be no need to rescue a Canadian anywhere. Countries that disobey international agreements should be chastized or sanctioned, not pandered to. Diplomacy is not weak-willed, weak-kneed, spineless grovelling for good will. It is standing up for what is right and being persistant in requiring other nations to fulfill their agreements.