Released Report: Canadian Security Service Concerned that U.S. Deported Syrian for Torture

Due to a court order this week, the Canadian government declassified further portions of a commission report showing that in 2002, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) suspected that the United States deported Syrian-born Canadian, Maher Arar, to Syria for rough interrogation.  The Canadian government fought to prevent these sections of the report from being released.

Arar was arrested in New York in 2002 on what American officials continue to claim is reliable intelligence.  The United States deported him to Syria where he was detained for almost a year.  Although Syria denies it, it is widely believed in Canada that he was tortured there.

In 2004, Canada launched a government inquiry into the situation which resulted in the commission report at issue.  The report exonerated Arar of any wrong doing or links with terrorist groups, and the government issued a formal apology and 10 million USD (10.5 million CAD) in compensation.  This commission report also recommended that a new agency be developed to review national security decisions and activities.

The newly released portions do not make it clear how widely the torture concerns were shared within government or whether the CSIS’s assessment was ever given to the Foreign Affairs department.

Because the Liberals were in power in Canada in 2002, the current government is refusing to answer questions on the matter, instead is referring questions to Stéphane Dion, the past minister for federal-provincial relations.  Current Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper does not plan on addressing the matter with the United States, but instead is concerned only with ensuring that these events do not occur again under the present government's term.

The Globe and Mail, Unclear who in government knew about CSIS torture concerns, 10 August 2007

British Broadcasting Corporation, Canada-Syria case papers released, 10 August 2007

The Jurist, Canada security service thought US would deport Arar for torture: uncensored report, 9 August 2007