Case of Mr. Arar

September 19th. 2006
Sent to but not published in the New York Times

As a transplanted Canadian I am proud of the forthright way in which the Canadian Government dealt with the case of Mr. Arar (Canadians fault U.S. for its role in torture case, New York Times, September 19th. 2006; pp: A1, A6.). His arrest In New York and rendition to Syria was subject to a full scale judicial inquiry which reported today that Mr Arar had no connection to al-Qaeda and that Canadian and American officials were negligent in their duties.

I wish I could be as proud of my adoptive country. The United States refused to co-operate in the Canadian inquiry despite the fact that the arresting officers were American and it was CIA officials who undertook the rendition to Syria where Mr Arar was tortured. In addition the United States government hid behind the dubious, in my view, doctrine of the States Secret defense in disallowing a lawsuit by Mr Arar against the United States government.

Mr Arar has received justice and due process from Canada. In the U.S. he has been denied due process and justice. Until he, and people like him including the detainees at Guantanamo, receive due process, the terrorists are winning.