Showing posts with label Peter MacKay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Peter MacKay. Show all posts
Thursday, May 10, 2012
MacKay has to apologize over photo of Russell Williams
The defence minister Peter MacKay had to quickly offer an apology after a Department of National Defence booklet was issued containing a photo of former commander Russell Williams now a convicted murderer.
Mackay said that he "immediately ordered the military to destroy all copies of the collected booklets" There are no details as to what booklet was involved or how many copies were printed or distributed.
Russell Williams was a prominent and decorated commander head of the Canadian Forces Base at Trenton Ontario He is serving two life terms for the rape and murder of two women, one a member of the armed forces. Williams pleaded guilty to 88 charges. For more see this article.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Top Canadian Commander admits beaten man was in Canadian custody.
To give Natynczyk his due at least he admits when he is wrong. Unlike MacKay and Hellier Natynczyk has not joined the gang who are trying to discredit the testimony of Richard Colvin the Canadian diplomat who blew the whistle on this whole affair. MacKay is such a sorry spectacle of humanity even among politicians that he ought to be asked to resign.
Top general changes story on Taliban suspect
Beaten man had been in Canadian custody
CBC News
Gen. Walter Natynczyk now says a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to what he said Tuesday. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's top military commander, is now saying a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to comments he made Tuesday.
"The individual who was beaten by the Afghan police was, in fact, in Canadian custody," Natynczyk told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Natynczyk had told a parliamentary committee that Canadian troops questioned the man, picked up during operations in Zangabad. But Natynczyk said it was the Afghans who took him into custody.
On Wednesday, the defence staff chief said he has received new information and learned that Canadians had taken the suspect into custody before handing him over to the Afghans.
Field report transcript
20:00 14 Jun 06 [location redacted]
Stopped along Rte [redacted] and held up a vehicle that was proceeding south down the route. Stopped and searched the three individuals in the white van and got a very weird feel from one of them.
Had the terp [interpreter] come and he [unclear] that the individual was in all probability Enemy (Taliban) due to his accent and his false story of being from Kandahar City. So I had him lie down on his stomach, then conducted a detailed search. (I had him empty his pockets prior to this) catalogued all his items and then took down his particulars (name [redacted] from Uruzgan).
We then photographed the individual prior to handing him over, to ensure that if the ANP did assault him, as has happened in the past, we would have a visual record of his condition.
The ANP Section Comd, [redacted] then arrived, asked the suspect a couple of questions and concurred with our assessment that the individual was enemy.
We in good faith handed the PUC [person under control] over to them so that he could be transported to the Zhari District Center [Forward Operating Base Wilson] where [watchdog] (a radio call-sign for military police) could get him. That was the last I saw him. [redacted] is one of [redacted] men.
(View the report)
Natynczyk read from a report on the incident by the section commander, who said the Canadians had the suspect get down on his stomach before they conducted a detailed search, which included emptying the Afghan's pockets and cataloguing all the items.
But the sergeant also wrote that the man was photographed "prior to handing him over, to ensure that if the [Afghan National Police] did assault him, as has happened in the past, we would have a visual record of his condition."
"I did not have this information in May of 2007 nor yesterday when I made my statement," Natynczyk said. "But I am responsible for the information provided by the Canadian Forces and I am accountable for it today."
Natynczyk said he will investigate the incident and why it took so long to get the information about what happened.
Canadian troops rescued man: general
Natynczyk said that after the Taliban suspect was taken into custody by Canadians, he was given to the Afghan police.
The police then started beating the man with their shoes, boots and weapons. Natynczyk said that prompted Canadian troops to rescue the man.
"I am proud that our soldiers acted courageously and ethically when they retrieved the individual from the Afghan National Police when it was apparent that he had been injured," Natynczyk said.
The Conservative government has said there is no evidence that Afghan detainees in Canadian custody who were subsequently handed over to Afghan officials before 2007 were abused.
The detainee issue has come to the forefront following allegations by Richard Colvin, a former senior diplomat with Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
Colvin, now based in Washington, said prisoners were turned over to Afghan prison officials by the Canadian military in 2006-07, despite his warnings to the Canadian government that they would be tortured.
The Conservatives have questioned the credibility of his testimony.
Colvin's lawyer said on Wednesday that her client is working on a written submission to the parliamentary special committee looking into the detainee issue "that will clarify some of the inaccuracies made in recent testimony regarding the transfer of detainees."
Ignatieff concerned with trust
Natynczyk's comments renewed calls for a public inquiry into the issue and demands for Defence Minister Peter MacKay to resign.
"When Gen. Natynczyk corrected his account this morning, he did so, he said, in order to restore trust in his office and in his institution," Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said during question period in the House of Commons.
"The issue here is trust. We can’t trust this government, we can’t trust a word that comes out of the mouth of this minister. When will the prime minister fire him and call a full independent public inquiry?"
But Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the facts confirm what the government has been saying, that when the Canadian Forces see substantive evidence of any case of abuse, they have taken corrective action.
"That’s what they did in this case. And frankly, Gen. Natynczyk today, correcting the record on a particular point, indicates once again that the Canadian Forces — from the highest level down to the man in the trenches — act with the highest integrity at all times," Harper said.
Speaking before the special parliamentary committee, MacKay stressed that torture is abhorrent and can never be tolerated
"Let me be clear, the government of Canada has never been complicit in torture or any violation of international law by wilfully allowing detainees, Taliban prisoners, taken by the Canadian Forces, to be exposed to abuse," MacKay said.
"No one ever turned a blind eye."
Top general changes story on Taliban suspect
Beaten man had been in Canadian custody
CBC News
Gen. Walter Natynczyk now says a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to what he said Tuesday. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada's top military commander, is now saying a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to comments he made Tuesday.
"The individual who was beaten by the Afghan police was, in fact, in Canadian custody," Natynczyk told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday.
Natynczyk had told a parliamentary committee that Canadian troops questioned the man, picked up during operations in Zangabad. But Natynczyk said it was the Afghans who took him into custody.
On Wednesday, the defence staff chief said he has received new information and learned that Canadians had taken the suspect into custody before handing him over to the Afghans.
Field report transcript
20:00 14 Jun 06 [location redacted]
Stopped along Rte [redacted] and held up a vehicle that was proceeding south down the route. Stopped and searched the three individuals in the white van and got a very weird feel from one of them.
Had the terp [interpreter] come and he [unclear] that the individual was in all probability Enemy (Taliban) due to his accent and his false story of being from Kandahar City. So I had him lie down on his stomach, then conducted a detailed search. (I had him empty his pockets prior to this) catalogued all his items and then took down his particulars (name [redacted] from Uruzgan).
We then photographed the individual prior to handing him over, to ensure that if the ANP did assault him, as has happened in the past, we would have a visual record of his condition.
The ANP Section Comd, [redacted] then arrived, asked the suspect a couple of questions and concurred with our assessment that the individual was enemy.
We in good faith handed the PUC [person under control] over to them so that he could be transported to the Zhari District Center [Forward Operating Base Wilson] where [watchdog] (a radio call-sign for military police) could get him. That was the last I saw him. [redacted] is one of [redacted] men.
(View the report)
Natynczyk read from a report on the incident by the section commander, who said the Canadians had the suspect get down on his stomach before they conducted a detailed search, which included emptying the Afghan's pockets and cataloguing all the items.
But the sergeant also wrote that the man was photographed "prior to handing him over, to ensure that if the [Afghan National Police] did assault him, as has happened in the past, we would have a visual record of his condition."
"I did not have this information in May of 2007 nor yesterday when I made my statement," Natynczyk said. "But I am responsible for the information provided by the Canadian Forces and I am accountable for it today."
Natynczyk said he will investigate the incident and why it took so long to get the information about what happened.
Canadian troops rescued man: general
Natynczyk said that after the Taliban suspect was taken into custody by Canadians, he was given to the Afghan police.
The police then started beating the man with their shoes, boots and weapons. Natynczyk said that prompted Canadian troops to rescue the man.
"I am proud that our soldiers acted courageously and ethically when they retrieved the individual from the Afghan National Police when it was apparent that he had been injured," Natynczyk said.
The Conservative government has said there is no evidence that Afghan detainees in Canadian custody who were subsequently handed over to Afghan officials before 2007 were abused.
The detainee issue has come to the forefront following allegations by Richard Colvin, a former senior diplomat with Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
Colvin, now based in Washington, said prisoners were turned over to Afghan prison officials by the Canadian military in 2006-07, despite his warnings to the Canadian government that they would be tortured.
The Conservatives have questioned the credibility of his testimony.
Colvin's lawyer said on Wednesday that her client is working on a written submission to the parliamentary special committee looking into the detainee issue "that will clarify some of the inaccuracies made in recent testimony regarding the transfer of detainees."
Ignatieff concerned with trust
Natynczyk's comments renewed calls for a public inquiry into the issue and demands for Defence Minister Peter MacKay to resign.
"When Gen. Natynczyk corrected his account this morning, he did so, he said, in order to restore trust in his office and in his institution," Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said during question period in the House of Commons.
"The issue here is trust. We can’t trust this government, we can’t trust a word that comes out of the mouth of this minister. When will the prime minister fire him and call a full independent public inquiry?"
But Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the facts confirm what the government has been saying, that when the Canadian Forces see substantive evidence of any case of abuse, they have taken corrective action.
"That’s what they did in this case. And frankly, Gen. Natynczyk today, correcting the record on a particular point, indicates once again that the Canadian Forces — from the highest level down to the man in the trenches — act with the highest integrity at all times," Harper said.
Speaking before the special parliamentary committee, MacKay stressed that torture is abhorrent and can never be tolerated
"Let me be clear, the government of Canada has never been complicit in torture or any violation of international law by wilfully allowing detainees, Taliban prisoners, taken by the Canadian Forces, to be exposed to abuse," MacKay said.
"No one ever turned a blind eye."
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
McKay and Hillier attack Colvin the Whistleblower
This is truly a disgusting spectacle. MacKay and Hillier both are beneath contempt. This is meant to warn anyone who dares question the teflon integrity of the top brass in the CANADIAN FORCES and the CANADIAN GOVERNMENT that they will pay dearly for it. At least Natynczyk has the integrity and guts to come out and admit that several times transfers were stopped due to concerns about torture. There had been earlier concerns of torture and the transfer protocols had been changed which in itself is evidence that the brass new about torture. But Hillier and his buddy MacKay have the motto: Hear no evil, see no evil and shut up everyone.
Globe and Mail
.The Harper government is training its guns on a diplomat whistleblower who says Canada was complicit in the torture of captured Afghan prisoners, trying to undermine Richard Colvin's credibility as pressure builds to hold a public inquiry into the matter.
“There are incredible holes in the story that have to be examined,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Parliament Thursday, even as he rejected opposition calls for a probe into Mr. Colvin's serious charges that Canada's soldiers handed over Afghan prisoners with the knowledge they'd likely be tortured by local interrogators.
The long-simmering detainee issue, ignited again by Mr. Colvin's explosive testimony Wednesday, looks set to dominate the agenda into next week when top military commanders will be hauled before MPs to answer the accusations.
.
Retired general Rick Hillier, who led Canada's 2006 military foray into southern Afghanistan, joined the Conservatives in dismissing Mr. Colvin's story. He told a Toronto audience Thursday night that he can't recall ever coming across reports from the diplomat, who was a senior Foreign Affairs staffer in Afghanistan for 17 months.
Mr. Hillier derisively compared the political uproar that surrounded Mr. Colvin's parliamentary testimony to people “howling at the moon” and said nobody ever raised torture concerns with him during the 2006-2007 period in question.
“I don't remember reading a single one of those cables [from Mr. Colvin] ... He doesn't stick out in my mind,” Mr. Hillier said of the diplomat's warnings and criticism.
“He appears to have covered an incredibly broad spectrum, much of which I'm not sure he's qualified to talk about.”
The former soldier rejected suggestions Canada was “complicit in any war crimes” – saying Ottawa had a responsible system in place. He also played down the fact Afghan prisoners got hurt in jails.
“Even in our own prisons [in Canada] somebody can get beaten up. We know that.”
Globe and Mail
.The Harper government is training its guns on a diplomat whistleblower who says Canada was complicit in the torture of captured Afghan prisoners, trying to undermine Richard Colvin's credibility as pressure builds to hold a public inquiry into the matter.
“There are incredible holes in the story that have to be examined,” Defence Minister Peter MacKay told Parliament Thursday, even as he rejected opposition calls for a probe into Mr. Colvin's serious charges that Canada's soldiers handed over Afghan prisoners with the knowledge they'd likely be tortured by local interrogators.
The long-simmering detainee issue, ignited again by Mr. Colvin's explosive testimony Wednesday, looks set to dominate the agenda into next week when top military commanders will be hauled before MPs to answer the accusations.
.
Retired general Rick Hillier, who led Canada's 2006 military foray into southern Afghanistan, joined the Conservatives in dismissing Mr. Colvin's story. He told a Toronto audience Thursday night that he can't recall ever coming across reports from the diplomat, who was a senior Foreign Affairs staffer in Afghanistan for 17 months.
Mr. Hillier derisively compared the political uproar that surrounded Mr. Colvin's parliamentary testimony to people “howling at the moon” and said nobody ever raised torture concerns with him during the 2006-2007 period in question.
“I don't remember reading a single one of those cables [from Mr. Colvin] ... He doesn't stick out in my mind,” Mr. Hillier said of the diplomat's warnings and criticism.
“He appears to have covered an incredibly broad spectrum, much of which I'm not sure he's qualified to talk about.”
The former soldier rejected suggestions Canada was “complicit in any war crimes” – saying Ottawa had a responsible system in place. He also played down the fact Afghan prisoners got hurt in jails.
“Even in our own prisons [in Canada] somebody can get beaten up. We know that.”
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Arar's lawyer: Afghan torture a case of deja-vu.
The vicious attack by Peter MacKay on Richard Colvin is truly alarming. MacKay strikes me as worse than his Reform Party comrades. Not only is he a promise breaker but he tries to discredit a civil servant just for blowing the whistle. It is clear that the government did know that something was going on since they had already changed their practice after earlier complaints. That upper echelons had never heard about what was going on is completely incredible. There has obviously been tacit acceptance of the practice of torture but for the sake of expediency the reality has been ignored and then denied when it is revealed. This is from the Star.
Arar-case lawyer sees torture déjà vu
Afghans' rights record should have led officials to suspect prison abuse, Cavalluzzo concludesRichard J. Brennan
Afghanistan's widely criticized record on human rights should have been enough for Canadian officials to suspect detainees in Afghan prisons were being tortured, says Paul Cavalluzzo, the senior commission counsel at the Maher Arar inquiry.
"In light of the human rights record of Afghanistan, you would expect that officials would check it out either themselves or through non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross as to what may be occurring," Cavalluzzo told the Toronto Star Friday.
The Conservative government has steadfastly refused to acknowledge widespread torture in Afghan jails despite testimony this week from senior Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin, who said that while at the Canadian embassy in Afghanistan in 2006 he repeatedly warned senior government and military officials of allegations of physical and mental abuse.
Cavalluzzo, a respected Toronto lawyer, cited similarities between the Conservative government's hard-line position and Canada's role in the torture of Arar in a Syrian prison.
Arar, a Canadian citizen, was passing through New York on his way home to Ottawa from a vacation in Tunisia seven years ago when U.S. officials held him, wrongly accused him of links with Al Qaeda and sent him to Syria, where he was jailed for months and regularly beaten.
"I saw many similarities because his (Defence Minister Peter MacKay's) position seems to be that unless you see the torture occurring then you don't have proof of it. In one of the key lessons of the Arar report, the commissioner was critical of consular officials (in Syria) who basically said the same thing," Cavalluzzo said.
Dennis O'Connor, the associate chief justice of Ontario who headed the federal inquiry into the Arar affair, cleared the telecom engineer of terrorism allegations, and found the actions of Canadian officials likely led to his being deported by U.S. authorities to Syria.
In 2007, Arar received $10.5 million compensation from the federal government and an apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
After Colvin reignited the Afghan torture controversy, Conservatives launched an all-out effort to discredit the 40-year-old diplomat, saying his allegations were based on hearsay and not first-hand knowledge.
"There was no credible evidence in Mr. Colvin's testimony, not a shred of specific evidence," said Transport Minister John Baird, who fielded questions on Afghan detainees in the House of Commons Friday.
Cavalluzzo said Canadian embassy officials in the Arar case also said they didn't suspect torture because they didn't see it happen.
Cavalluzzo said O'Connor found that "in situations like that you've got to be more analytical in the sense that you have to look at the human rights record of the country, the human rights records of the detention centre where the person is, and you make an educated decision.
"It seems in this instance that's what Mr. Colvin was doing. He didn't see it, obviously, but he recognized it and when he made these reports alarm bells should have rung in Ottawa and a thorough investigation should have occurred at that time. In my view, Colvin was acting quite appropriately ... because he has an obligation to bring it forward to his superiors."
Arar-case lawyer sees torture déjà vu
Afghans' rights record should have led officials to suspect prison abuse, Cavalluzzo concludesRichard J. Brennan
Afghanistan's widely criticized record on human rights should have been enough for Canadian officials to suspect detainees in Afghan prisons were being tortured, says Paul Cavalluzzo, the senior commission counsel at the Maher Arar inquiry.
"In light of the human rights record of Afghanistan, you would expect that officials would check it out either themselves or through non-governmental agencies like the Red Cross as to what may be occurring," Cavalluzzo told the Toronto Star Friday.
The Conservative government has steadfastly refused to acknowledge widespread torture in Afghan jails despite testimony this week from senior Canadian diplomat Richard Colvin, who said that while at the Canadian embassy in Afghanistan in 2006 he repeatedly warned senior government and military officials of allegations of physical and mental abuse.
Cavalluzzo, a respected Toronto lawyer, cited similarities between the Conservative government's hard-line position and Canada's role in the torture of Arar in a Syrian prison.
Arar, a Canadian citizen, was passing through New York on his way home to Ottawa from a vacation in Tunisia seven years ago when U.S. officials held him, wrongly accused him of links with Al Qaeda and sent him to Syria, where he was jailed for months and regularly beaten.
"I saw many similarities because his (Defence Minister Peter MacKay's) position seems to be that unless you see the torture occurring then you don't have proof of it. In one of the key lessons of the Arar report, the commissioner was critical of consular officials (in Syria) who basically said the same thing," Cavalluzzo said.
Dennis O'Connor, the associate chief justice of Ontario who headed the federal inquiry into the Arar affair, cleared the telecom engineer of terrorism allegations, and found the actions of Canadian officials likely led to his being deported by U.S. authorities to Syria.
In 2007, Arar received $10.5 million compensation from the federal government and an apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
After Colvin reignited the Afghan torture controversy, Conservatives launched an all-out effort to discredit the 40-year-old diplomat, saying his allegations were based on hearsay and not first-hand knowledge.
"There was no credible evidence in Mr. Colvin's testimony, not a shred of specific evidence," said Transport Minister John Baird, who fielded questions on Afghan detainees in the House of Commons Friday.
Cavalluzzo said Canadian embassy officials in the Arar case also said they didn't suspect torture because they didn't see it happen.
Cavalluzzo said O'Connor found that "in situations like that you've got to be more analytical in the sense that you have to look at the human rights record of the country, the human rights records of the detention centre where the person is, and you make an educated decision.
"It seems in this instance that's what Mr. Colvin was doing. He didn't see it, obviously, but he recognized it and when he made these reports alarm bells should have rung in Ottawa and a thorough investigation should have occurred at that time. In my view, Colvin was acting quite appropriately ... because he has an obligation to bring it forward to his superiors."
Thursday, January 22, 2009
MacKay: Canada may repatriate Khadr
Actually the article shows that the Conservative govt. is sticking to its own position that as long as their is a US justice process in place they will let things take their course. The suspension of
the tribunals does not seem to make any difference. Harper has never criticised the tribunals or tried to repatriate Khadr thus making Canada odd man out since every other western country has intervened on behalf of their accused citizens. But Harper was a great admirer of Bush and even Obama's rejection of them has not changed his mind about Khadr. However, his hand may perhaps be forced if the US requests Canada to take Khadr off their hands. This may not happen however as there may be pressure to try in some form someone accused of killing an American serviceperson. This is probably what Harper hopes.
MacKay should know that Arar was in Canada when he was allegedly seen by Khadr in an Afghan training camp. MacKay is completely unprincipled.
Canada may repatriate Khadr: MacKay
By Steven Edwards in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Mike Blanchfield in Ottawa, Canwest News ServiceJanuary 21, 2009
Canada may have to reassess its decision not to repatriate accused terrorist Omar Khadr, now that U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered a 120-day pause in legal proceedings at the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.
"Canada, Mr. Khadr's counsel, and everyone involved in these cases will be reassessing their positions," MacKay said in comments that contrasted with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's longtime stance that the Canadian-born Khadr will not be repatriated as long as he faces serious charges in the United States.
While MacKay made clear that the government's position has not changed, his comments mark the first time the Conservatives have budged at all on the issue.
Harper's chief spokesman, Kory Teneycke, reaffirmed the government's position Wednesday, saying, "We'll simply wait and see what comes forward from the United States."
He refused to "get into hypotheticals around different scenarios," including the developments south of the border.
Hours after taking the oath of the presidency, Obama ordered a 120-day break in the cases against Khadr and five other accused 9/11 conspirators.
"The charges that Mr. Khadr has been facing are very serious charges," MacKay said. "The process has now been delayed as a result of the president's statements and, clearly, when you have a process and legal charges, this is something we have to adhere to."
Khadr is the only remaining westerner at the prison. Other countries such as Britain and Australia have repatriated their nationals from Guantanamo. Unlike the detained nationals of those countries, Khadr faces war-crime charges in the fatal wounding of a U.S. serviceman during the July 2002 firefight in Afghanistan that preceded his capture.
Amnesty International called Obama's suspension of the legal proceedings there an "encouraging step" that would lead to the closure of the prison and "move away from the unlawful practices of the past."
Obama is ready to issue orders on Thursday to close Guantanamo prison, pending a review of how to deal with the remaining detainees, Reuters reported.
"The detention facilities at Guantanamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order," Reuters quoted the draft of the order as saying.
Lt.-Cmdr. Bill Kuebler, Khadr's lead Pentagon-appointed defence lawyer, dismissed as a "technicality" the fact that the pause does not negate the five war-crimes charges Khadr still faces.
"To the extent that Prime Minister Harper has hidden behind the excuse of an ongoing legal process — that is simply not the case, as of today," Kuebler said.
Kuebler said he met with Khadr shortly after the delay was granted.
"He's anxious. He's nervous. He doesn't quite know what's going to happen," he said. "He's hopeful, as we are, that this is finally going to create the conditions under which the Canadian government can do the responsible thing: begin the process of negotiating with the U.S. government and with us about some sort of arrangement that will bring Omar back to Canada. . . . The practical effect of today's ruling is to pronounce this military commission process dead."
Obama's pause order, issued late Tuesday and applied through court motions Wednesday, represented a clear break with the approach the Bush administration took towards dealing with the international terror threat.
Judge Patrick Parrish, the army colonel presiding in the Khadr case, quickly ruled in favour of the suspension Obama sought, so that his administration could review the files of detainees not slated for release at the U.S. naval base in Cuba.
A similar delay in the proceedings against Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-described 9/11 mastermind, and four other accused co-conspirators, was also granted.
More than 240 terror suspects remain detained at Guantanamo out of more than 770 who have passed through. Twenty-one are currently charged, while about 50 have been cleared for release when countries are found to accept them.
During his campaign for the presidency, Obama had criticized the commissions, created by President George W. Bush in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, as falling short of internationally accepted standards of fairness — and said traditional U.S. military and civilian courts are capable of handling terrorism prosecutions.
Eric Holder, Obama's nominee for attorney general, said in recent confirmation-hearing testimony that a revised version of the military commissions could be retained if due process is assured.
Kuebler conceded the Obama administration could resume prosecution in at least some of the accusations against Khadr.
"If Omar were to be prosecuted in the United States, it would almost certainly be in a civilian court. Even if it were a military commission or military tribunal, it would be a different tribunal that hasn't been constructed yet under charges that haven't been laid yet."
Irate relatives of 9/11 victims said the attack's accused plotters are "laughing at America" over Obama's decision.
Don Arias, whose brother Adam died in the collapse of Tower 2 of the World Trade Center, led a group of victims' families attending this week's war-crimes hearings in Guantanamo Bay who accused Obama of marching to the step of such groups as the American Civil Liberties Union.
"In his first official act as commander-in-chief, Mr. Obama has offered up the lives of almost 3,000 Americans on the ACLU's altar of political correctness," he said against the backdrop of the state-of-the-art courtroom where the 9/11 accused have been appearing.
"President Obama, the United States of America is your house," Adam's sister, Lorraine Believeau, said. "You've had planes driven through your kitchen and your living room. And many people lie dead. . . . We are at war. It's not a traffic ticket."
"These men are standing in there, saying they are proud of what they did on 9/11. They want to confess to everything they did on 9/11. I don't see the injustice," said Jim Riches, retired New York Fire Department deputy chief, who lost his son, Jim Jr., also a firefighter, on 9/11.
"They're laughing. They are making a travesty of the American justice system."
MacKay also weighed in on the surprising turn at Khadr's hearing earlier in the week, when an FBI agent testified that Khadr told him he saw someone who "looked similar" to Maher Arar at an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan.
The evidence was called into serious question under cross-examination when it emerged that one of the alleged Arar sightings in Afghanistan took place in the fall of 2001 — the same time the Canadian judicial inquiry into Arar's case established that he was, in fact, in Canada.
"I was troubled, troubled certainly, that Mr. Khadr had placed Mr. Arar at an al-Qaida training camp," MacKay said, without elaborating further.
The O'Connor inquiry into Arar's rendition to Syria in 2002 by the United States exonerated the Syrian-born Canadian citizen. Arar received an apology from the government and $10.5 million in compensation.
"The government hired Justice (Dennis) O'Connor to review all of the information around Mr. Arar's case, and some of that information is in the public realm, and some of that information is classified intelligence information," said Teneycke. "Justice O'Connor was able to review and assess both. He made a finding and a determination, and the government acted on that."
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
'Clearly Canada, Mr. Khadr’s counsel and everyone involved in these cases will be reassessing their positions,' Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.
Photograph by: Mathieu Belanger, Reuters
the tribunals does not seem to make any difference. Harper has never criticised the tribunals or tried to repatriate Khadr thus making Canada odd man out since every other western country has intervened on behalf of their accused citizens. But Harper was a great admirer of Bush and even Obama's rejection of them has not changed his mind about Khadr. However, his hand may perhaps be forced if the US requests Canada to take Khadr off their hands. This may not happen however as there may be pressure to try in some form someone accused of killing an American serviceperson. This is probably what Harper hopes.
MacKay should know that Arar was in Canada when he was allegedly seen by Khadr in an Afghan training camp. MacKay is completely unprincipled.
Canada may repatriate Khadr: MacKay
By Steven Edwards in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Mike Blanchfield in Ottawa, Canwest News ServiceJanuary 21, 2009
Canada may have to reassess its decision not to repatriate accused terrorist Omar Khadr, now that U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered a 120-day pause in legal proceedings at the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.
"Canada, Mr. Khadr's counsel, and everyone involved in these cases will be reassessing their positions," MacKay said in comments that contrasted with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's longtime stance that the Canadian-born Khadr will not be repatriated as long as he faces serious charges in the United States.
While MacKay made clear that the government's position has not changed, his comments mark the first time the Conservatives have budged at all on the issue.
Harper's chief spokesman, Kory Teneycke, reaffirmed the government's position Wednesday, saying, "We'll simply wait and see what comes forward from the United States."
He refused to "get into hypotheticals around different scenarios," including the developments south of the border.
Hours after taking the oath of the presidency, Obama ordered a 120-day break in the cases against Khadr and five other accused 9/11 conspirators.
"The charges that Mr. Khadr has been facing are very serious charges," MacKay said. "The process has now been delayed as a result of the president's statements and, clearly, when you have a process and legal charges, this is something we have to adhere to."
Khadr is the only remaining westerner at the prison. Other countries such as Britain and Australia have repatriated their nationals from Guantanamo. Unlike the detained nationals of those countries, Khadr faces war-crime charges in the fatal wounding of a U.S. serviceman during the July 2002 firefight in Afghanistan that preceded his capture.
Amnesty International called Obama's suspension of the legal proceedings there an "encouraging step" that would lead to the closure of the prison and "move away from the unlawful practices of the past."
Obama is ready to issue orders on Thursday to close Guantanamo prison, pending a review of how to deal with the remaining detainees, Reuters reported.
"The detention facilities at Guantanamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order," Reuters quoted the draft of the order as saying.
Lt.-Cmdr. Bill Kuebler, Khadr's lead Pentagon-appointed defence lawyer, dismissed as a "technicality" the fact that the pause does not negate the five war-crimes charges Khadr still faces.
"To the extent that Prime Minister Harper has hidden behind the excuse of an ongoing legal process — that is simply not the case, as of today," Kuebler said.
Kuebler said he met with Khadr shortly after the delay was granted.
"He's anxious. He's nervous. He doesn't quite know what's going to happen," he said. "He's hopeful, as we are, that this is finally going to create the conditions under which the Canadian government can do the responsible thing: begin the process of negotiating with the U.S. government and with us about some sort of arrangement that will bring Omar back to Canada. . . . The practical effect of today's ruling is to pronounce this military commission process dead."
Obama's pause order, issued late Tuesday and applied through court motions Wednesday, represented a clear break with the approach the Bush administration took towards dealing with the international terror threat.
Judge Patrick Parrish, the army colonel presiding in the Khadr case, quickly ruled in favour of the suspension Obama sought, so that his administration could review the files of detainees not slated for release at the U.S. naval base in Cuba.
A similar delay in the proceedings against Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-described 9/11 mastermind, and four other accused co-conspirators, was also granted.
More than 240 terror suspects remain detained at Guantanamo out of more than 770 who have passed through. Twenty-one are currently charged, while about 50 have been cleared for release when countries are found to accept them.
During his campaign for the presidency, Obama had criticized the commissions, created by President George W. Bush in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, as falling short of internationally accepted standards of fairness — and said traditional U.S. military and civilian courts are capable of handling terrorism prosecutions.
Eric Holder, Obama's nominee for attorney general, said in recent confirmation-hearing testimony that a revised version of the military commissions could be retained if due process is assured.
Kuebler conceded the Obama administration could resume prosecution in at least some of the accusations against Khadr.
"If Omar were to be prosecuted in the United States, it would almost certainly be in a civilian court. Even if it were a military commission or military tribunal, it would be a different tribunal that hasn't been constructed yet under charges that haven't been laid yet."
Irate relatives of 9/11 victims said the attack's accused plotters are "laughing at America" over Obama's decision.
Don Arias, whose brother Adam died in the collapse of Tower 2 of the World Trade Center, led a group of victims' families attending this week's war-crimes hearings in Guantanamo Bay who accused Obama of marching to the step of such groups as the American Civil Liberties Union.
"In his first official act as commander-in-chief, Mr. Obama has offered up the lives of almost 3,000 Americans on the ACLU's altar of political correctness," he said against the backdrop of the state-of-the-art courtroom where the 9/11 accused have been appearing.
"President Obama, the United States of America is your house," Adam's sister, Lorraine Believeau, said. "You've had planes driven through your kitchen and your living room. And many people lie dead. . . . We are at war. It's not a traffic ticket."
"These men are standing in there, saying they are proud of what they did on 9/11. They want to confess to everything they did on 9/11. I don't see the injustice," said Jim Riches, retired New York Fire Department deputy chief, who lost his son, Jim Jr., also a firefighter, on 9/11.
"They're laughing. They are making a travesty of the American justice system."
MacKay also weighed in on the surprising turn at Khadr's hearing earlier in the week, when an FBI agent testified that Khadr told him he saw someone who "looked similar" to Maher Arar at an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan.
The evidence was called into serious question under cross-examination when it emerged that one of the alleged Arar sightings in Afghanistan took place in the fall of 2001 — the same time the Canadian judicial inquiry into Arar's case established that he was, in fact, in Canada.
"I was troubled, troubled certainly, that Mr. Khadr had placed Mr. Arar at an al-Qaida training camp," MacKay said, without elaborating further.
The O'Connor inquiry into Arar's rendition to Syria in 2002 by the United States exonerated the Syrian-born Canadian citizen. Arar received an apology from the government and $10.5 million in compensation.
"The government hired Justice (Dennis) O'Connor to review all of the information around Mr. Arar's case, and some of that information is in the public realm, and some of that information is classified intelligence information," said Teneycke. "Justice O'Connor was able to review and assess both. He made a finding and a determination, and the government acted on that."
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
'Clearly Canada, Mr. Khadr’s counsel and everyone involved in these cases will be reassessing their positions,' Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Wednesday.
Photograph by: Mathieu Belanger, Reuters
Saturday, June 14, 2008
The Afghan Mission
This is from the Globe and Mail.Not surprisingly MacKay is just spouting a U.S. line although there is certainly a degree of truth in what he says. No one seems to worry about Pakistan's troubles just the NATO (read U.S.) mission (read occupation) of Afghanistan. The tribal territories have always been a law unto themselves and Pakistan has never been able to make them a stable part of the country. There seems to be no understanding that Pakistan would at least like to have some degree of peace in the area and not face continuing loss of troops and violent attacks in the rest of Pakistan.The groups on either side of the border are related to each other and a border created by authorities they have little regard for is not going to stop them from going back and forth as they see fit.
THE AFGHAN MISSIONPakistan's deals a threat, MacKay warnsAgreements with tribal groups could give Taliban freer rein along border, Defence Minister saysCAMPBELL CLARKJune 14, 2008OTTAWA -- Hopes that Pakistan's new government would prevent Taliban insurgents from crossing the border with Afghanistan are being dashed by deals with tribal groups that threaten to give them freer rein, Defence Minister Peter MacKay warned yesterday.Pakistan's unstable new government has insisted it is only striking security deals with "peace-loving" tribal groups to secure control over its fractious tribal regions along the Afghan border, but U.S. officials have raised fears the agreements to withdraw Pakistani security forces will ease pressure on insurgents.Yesterday, Mr. MacKay expressed concern that the Pakistani government was essentially cutting non-aggression pacts with the Taliban that would allow insurgents to move back and forth across the border as long as they do not engage Pakistani forces."With a new government, there was hope that this was going to lead to greater, more robust participation on their part. It hasn't quite turned out that way. In fact, some would argue that it may get worse if they're cutting deals with the Taliban," Mr. MacKay said in an interview from London, en route from a NATO conference in Brussels."It certainly could make it worse if they're making agreements that they will lay off - that is, the Pakistan security forces will not, essentially, press them, and arrest them if need be, and the understanding is as long as they don't cause problems inside their borders, they'll be left alone. Well, that doesn't do us any good. And it certainly doesn't do Afghanistan any good at all."Canada's 2,500 troops operate mainly in Kandahar province, in Afghanistan's southeast, where insurgents are often able to slip over the Pakistan border to regroup.Mr. MacKay said that more border police, checkpoints, aerial surveillance and even fences are needed, but also "various countries, at the highest levels" will have to apply intensified diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to do more to control the border."That border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is still a sieve. And you have insurgents being plucked out of those incubators, those refugee camps in Pakistan, and they're still flooding into the country," he said.Whether Pakistan's shaky government has the will or the power to assert real control is far from certain, however.Most of Pakistan's own border regions are essentially governed by tribal leaders and warlords who, at best, acknowledge Pakistan's suzerainty, but feel little real attachment to the country.The new government of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has been shaken by the withdrawal of its coalition partner. It must also contend with pressure from a dominant army, which relies on U.S. military aid, and deep public frustration with U.S. influence.In the interview, Mr. MacKay also expressed hope that NATO allies were moving toward additional "burden sharing" for Afghanistan's south, and said Canada made a pitch to countries who will not commit combat troops to send equipment or support units instead.
THE AFGHAN MISSIONPakistan's deals a threat, MacKay warnsAgreements with tribal groups could give Taliban freer rein along border, Defence Minister saysCAMPBELL CLARKJune 14, 2008OTTAWA -- Hopes that Pakistan's new government would prevent Taliban insurgents from crossing the border with Afghanistan are being dashed by deals with tribal groups that threaten to give them freer rein, Defence Minister Peter MacKay warned yesterday.Pakistan's unstable new government has insisted it is only striking security deals with "peace-loving" tribal groups to secure control over its fractious tribal regions along the Afghan border, but U.S. officials have raised fears the agreements to withdraw Pakistani security forces will ease pressure on insurgents.Yesterday, Mr. MacKay expressed concern that the Pakistani government was essentially cutting non-aggression pacts with the Taliban that would allow insurgents to move back and forth across the border as long as they do not engage Pakistani forces."With a new government, there was hope that this was going to lead to greater, more robust participation on their part. It hasn't quite turned out that way. In fact, some would argue that it may get worse if they're cutting deals with the Taliban," Mr. MacKay said in an interview from London, en route from a NATO conference in Brussels."It certainly could make it worse if they're making agreements that they will lay off - that is, the Pakistan security forces will not, essentially, press them, and arrest them if need be, and the understanding is as long as they don't cause problems inside their borders, they'll be left alone. Well, that doesn't do us any good. And it certainly doesn't do Afghanistan any good at all."Canada's 2,500 troops operate mainly in Kandahar province, in Afghanistan's southeast, where insurgents are often able to slip over the Pakistan border to regroup.Mr. MacKay said that more border police, checkpoints, aerial surveillance and even fences are needed, but also "various countries, at the highest levels" will have to apply intensified diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to do more to control the border."That border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is still a sieve. And you have insurgents being plucked out of those incubators, those refugee camps in Pakistan, and they're still flooding into the country," he said.Whether Pakistan's shaky government has the will or the power to assert real control is far from certain, however.Most of Pakistan's own border regions are essentially governed by tribal leaders and warlords who, at best, acknowledge Pakistan's suzerainty, but feel little real attachment to the country.The new government of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has been shaken by the withdrawal of its coalition partner. It must also contend with pressure from a dominant army, which relies on U.S. military aid, and deep public frustration with U.S. influence.In the interview, Mr. MacKay also expressed hope that NATO allies were moving toward additional "burden sharing" for Afghanistan's south, and said Canada made a pitch to countries who will not commit combat troops to send equipment or support units instead.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Government announces 1.4 billion transport plane deal with U.S. firm.
There is no explanation as to why the Conservatives invoked a national security clause so that they could negotiate exclusively with Boeing. Not only did no other contractors get a look-in but they will not be involved in the maintenance work either unless as sub-contractors to Boeing. We are now junior partners in the US military industrial complex but a few jobs will trickle down to Canada for maintenance and perhaps there may be a few rewards for eminent Canadian politicians that will not be made public.
Government announces $1.4 billion transport plane deal with U.S. firm
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | 6:24 PM ET
CBC News
The federal government has announced the $1.4 billion purchase of 17 new Hercules transport planes to replace the air force's aging fleet.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Michael Fortier said at a news conference in Ottawa on Wednesday that a deal had been signed with the U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Lockheed-Martin.
One of the Canadian military's aging Hercules makes a supply run in Northern Ontario.
(Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press) The cost includes $1.7 billion for a long-term maintenance package. Canadian defence contractors — including Airbus Military, which made an appeal to the House of Commons defence committee — have been upset that Lockheed will also be responsible for maintenance.
MacKay said officials are still working to negotiate the maintenance contract, expected by 2009, but that the government will insist the bulk of it be done domestically.
"Much of this work — 70 per cent, which is a historic percentage — will be done by Canadians in Canada," MacKay told CBC News.
"So when we take delivery of those planes, this is going to mean jobs and economic benefits and increased aerospace technology for Canadians."
Continue Article
Delivery of the first C-130J Hercules — the new and upgraded version of the aging carrier — is slated for winter 2010.
More than a year ago, the Conservative government invoked a national security clause in procurement legislation and negotiated exclusively with the U.S. defence giant.
In 2006, then-defence minister Gordon O'Connor launched a rearmament drive to replace the C-130E and C-130H planes. Most were built more than 30 years ago and have been flown from the Arctic to Afghanistan.
The Hercules, considered one of the world's most successful military transports, can carry 17 tonnes of cargo or 90 soldiers with light equipment. Canada operates some of the oldest C-130s in military service anywhere.
With files from the Canadian Press
Government announces $1.4 billion transport plane deal with U.S. firm
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | 6:24 PM ET
CBC News
The federal government has announced the $1.4 billion purchase of 17 new Hercules transport planes to replace the air force's aging fleet.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Michael Fortier said at a news conference in Ottawa on Wednesday that a deal had been signed with the U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Lockheed-Martin.
One of the Canadian military's aging Hercules makes a supply run in Northern Ontario.
(Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press) The cost includes $1.7 billion for a long-term maintenance package. Canadian defence contractors — including Airbus Military, which made an appeal to the House of Commons defence committee — have been upset that Lockheed will also be responsible for maintenance.
MacKay said officials are still working to negotiate the maintenance contract, expected by 2009, but that the government will insist the bulk of it be done domestically.
"Much of this work — 70 per cent, which is a historic percentage — will be done by Canadians in Canada," MacKay told CBC News.
"So when we take delivery of those planes, this is going to mean jobs and economic benefits and increased aerospace technology for Canadians."
Continue Article
Delivery of the first C-130J Hercules — the new and upgraded version of the aging carrier — is slated for winter 2010.
More than a year ago, the Conservative government invoked a national security clause in procurement legislation and negotiated exclusively with the U.S. defence giant.
In 2006, then-defence minister Gordon O'Connor launched a rearmament drive to replace the C-130E and C-130H planes. Most were built more than 30 years ago and have been flown from the Arctic to Afghanistan.
The Hercules, considered one of the world's most successful military transports, can carry 17 tonnes of cargo or 90 soldiers with light equipment. Canada operates some of the oldest C-130s in military service anywhere.
With files from the Canadian Press
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)