Canadian tortured: Syrian group

[dArKeR]

Maher Arar, a Canadian software engineer imprisoned in his native Syria, is being tortured, a prominent Syrian exile group says.

The London-based Syrian Human Rights Committee says Mr. Arar, 32, has been beaten severely and subjected to electric shocks.

Canadian officials say they have made renewed demands to visit Mr. Arar, who has not been seen or heard from since April.

Mr. Arar, who was deported to Syria by U.S. authorities because of alleged terrorist links, is "in a very weak condition because of torture and deprivation from sleep," the group says.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030806.usyri0807/BNStory/National/

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[htuttle]

1. Do we all remember how this guy ended up in Syria?

For the memory-impaired, Mr. Arar was flying from Europe back home to Canada, and had to change planes in the US (I think NYC).

The US government scooped him off the plane due to 'terrorist ties' (like David Nelson, I suppose), and deported him TO SYRIA, even though he was traveling on a Canadian passport.

He was only changing planes here, and he lives in Canada. He will probably die in Syria, however.

[phgnome]

2. Crappy situation

I wish it weren't so (that he might die in Syria) but things don't look good for Mr. Arar. I hope the Cdn. govt. is successful in getting him back alive.

I heard his wife talking on CBC two days ago. I can't imagine what it must be like on her. She was crying and it was so sad.

Is there anything we can do to help Mr. Arar?