The former head of C-SIS has wrapped up his initial testimony at the Maher Arar inquiry.
Ward Elcock invoked National Security to refuse to answer several questions, including whether Canada shares intelligence information with Syria.
That's where the Ottawa man was held for 10 months after being arrested in New York.
Arar says it's frustrating.
Public testimony dealing directly with Arar's arrest and detention will begin in September.
http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=2&nid=16208RCMP clears itself in Arar case
The Mounties have absolved themselves of any wrongdoing in the ordeal suffered by Maher Arar, according to newly released documents.
<snip>
Commissioner Clement said that an unidentified senior Mountie, who was brought in from another unit to probe work done by Ottawa colleagues, concluded that they "did not improperly encourage U.S. authorities to deport a Canadian citizen, Mr. Maher Arar from U.S. territory to Syria," and that there were "no discussions" about this.
Further, the senior Mountie found that the RCMP "did not provide any information about Mr. Arar to the Syrian authorities." The report fails to clarify whether the force talked to U.S. agencies about him.
<snip>
The RCMP report challenges Mr. Arar's main allegations against the Canadian government, although the document's credibility will surely be attacked because it is the result of an internal investigation.
<snip>
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040623/ARAR23/TPNational/CanadaCSIS aware of U.S. torture loophole
CSIS was aware the U.S. sidesteps its own laws by shipping terrorist suspects to rogue countries to interrogate them through torture, Canada's former spymaster told the Maher Arar inquiry yesterday. Ward Elcock, the recently retired director of CSIS, did not say when he first learned of the practice known in security circles as "extraordinary rendition." Refusing to wade into specifics of Arar's case, he insisted CSIS balances potential harm to personal safety with threat to national security.
"We take into account the consequences to any individual and their safety wherever they go, anytime we release information to anybody, and we would do the same with the United States," he said.
"The reality is, I'm not aware of any case where the Americans have taken somebody they've arrested inside the United States -- apart from Mr. Arar's case -- and sent them to another country."
Rendition has been condemned by human rights groups around the world.
<snip>
http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/CalgarySun/News/2004/06/23/510439.htmlHarper may be called to testify at Arar inquiry
<snip>
Stephen Harper might be called as a witness at the Maher Arar inquiry after the Conservative leader revealed he had received a secret briefing on the case.
<snip>
http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6abea734-1e11-40c1-b706-3f4c937d2bd5Arar inquiry contemplates calling Harper
The inquiry examining Maher Arar's deportation to Syria might call Conservative Leader Stephen Harper to testify, after comments he made Tuesday night on CBC Television.
<snip>
Harper said at first it was suggested that the deportation of Mr. Arar was appropriate.
"Then we found out later that may not have been the case," Harper said. "I'd like to find out a lot more about what actually occurred. My suspicion is, quite frankly, that this was not a random act just by the United States. I do think they received some encouragement from authorities in this country."
<snip>
Cavalluzzo also wouldn't rule out calling other party leaders, perhaps even the prime minister.
<snip>
Maher Arar: Timeline
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/arar/index.html(extensive links to past CBC stories)
<edit:> This is the Canadian arrested in NYC by the Feds and sent to Syria where he was apparently tortured. The story was an early warning about Bushista attitudes towards human rights.
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