One Day After Complete Exoneration, Maher Arar Yet to Receive Apology From

[CHIMO]

One Day After Complete Exoneration, Maher Arar Yet to Receive Apology From Canada, US for Year-Long Imprisonment, Torture in Syrian Jail

MAHER ARAR: Well, my question to him is very simple. I think his answer really is -- he is underestimating how smart the American people are. You know, we've seen over the past couple of years other cases where individuals have been rendered to other countries for the sole purpose of extracting information, and this information extracted under torture ended up in the hands of American authorities. Now, you know, so for him to say that we do not send -- we get assurances from people, well, you know, how do you believe?

Let's take this as a fact. We don't really know whether they actually sought assurances. But let's say, let's assume they did get assurances from the Syrians. Why would they believe the Syrians, given that the State Department on a yearly basis criticizes the human rights record in Syria? In fact, just a couple of days, if I remember correctly, after I went public about my story in November of 2003, President Bush himself clearly spoke critically of Syria. And he, if I remember the expression he used, he said Syria left its people with a legacy of torture.

So how could, you know -- I’ll just give a simple analogy here, and I think this will explain my point. Let's say I tell you there is a serial rapist or serial killer in this room, and I would like your -- one of your relatives or your son or daughter to stay alone with him, you know, for long periods of time. Would you really? You know, if this person tells you, "No don't worry, I am not going to harm your brother or sister,” would you really trust what he is saying to you, given his past history, given the fact he raped many women, given the fact that he killed innocent people before? Well, clearly, everyone knows that Syria has practiced torture for many years. And for them to say, 'Well, we sought assurances," I don't think is an acceptable answer. The American government and those people who are responsible for what they did to me, they should be held accountable in a court of law.

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: To the people of Syria, your land is home to a great people with a proud tradition of learning and commerce. Today, your rulers have allowed your country to become a crossroad for terrorism. In your midst, Hamas and Hezbollah are working to destabilize the region, and your government is turning your country into a tool of Iran. This is increasing your country's isolation from the world. Your government must choose a better way forward by ending its support for terror and living in peace with your neighbors and opening the way to a better life for you and your families.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/20/1412258

Further information in the whole interview.

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