If you have never heard of MAHER ARAR...

[garybeck]

If you have never heard of Maher Arar, just listen to this one-minute clip from Ring of Fire Radio:

http://solarbus.org/realnews/audio/arar.mp3

(recording from Ring of Fire Radio, 12/8/07, guest Matthew Duss (sp?) from American Prospect Magazine.)

Now you are probably shocked as well, and want to check out his website:

http://www.maherarar.ca/

[Clintonista2]

1. K&R.

[reprehensor]

2. I hope he gets some justice.

"While in transit at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in September 2002, Mr. Arar was taken into custody by U.S. officials and shackled. Officials repeatedly questioned Mr. Arar about his connection to certain members of Al-Qaeda, the global terrorist network. Mr. Arar repeatedly denied that he had any connections whatsoever to the named individuals. Mr. Arar’s requests for a lawyer were dismissed on the basis that he was not an American citizen, therefore he did not have the right to receive counsel. Despite his denials, he remained in custody and eventually boarded on a small jet which first landed in Washington, DC, and then Amman, Jordan.

Once in Amman, Mr. Arar was blindfolded, shackled and put in a van. “They made me bend my head down in the back seat,” Mr. Arar recalled. “Then these men started beating me. Every time I tried to talk, they beat me."

Mr. Arar was deported to Syria despite the fact that he is a Canadian citizen and has resided in the country for 17 years. He pleaded with officials to allow him to go to Canada; those pleas were ignored. The fact that officials did not place Mr. Arar in Canadian custody is extremely troubling and call into question the US government’s motives.

Upon reaching Syria, Mr. Arar was transferred to a prison, where he was beaten for several hours and forced to falsely confess that he had attended a training camp in Afghanistan, fighting against the United States. “I was willing to do anything to stop the torture,” he says."

http://ccrjustice.org/newsroom/press-releases/ccr-investigates-case-torture-survivor-maher-arar

It seems to be in short supply these days.

[whosinpower]

4. Big old story up here in Canada

Mahar Arar's story did eventually lead to an apology by the Canadian Government to Mahar Arar and his family. He is sueing for compensation, and even though has been vindicated of any crimes - is STILL not allowed to travel to the US. The US will not formally apologize to him, nor will they take him off th terror list.

[Jim Lane]

6. Clarification re his suing for compensation

He is suing the U.S. for compensation under the Torture Victims Protection Act. The U.S. got the case dismissed on the basis that litigating it would involve the disclosure of state secrets and would jeopardize national security. That decision is on appeal.

You're right that it's an old story in Canada. In 2004, Canada appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the matter. The Commission report completely exonerated Arar. Canada formally apologized for its role in his kidnapping and paid him $11.5 million (Canadian) in compensation. For more detail on the Canadian proceedings, an example of how a just and responsible government would behave (and something we Yanks can only dream about), .

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R for hope...for justice...for what's right and decent and good

[rockybelt]

5. Rendition

Isn't it wonderful?
The jack booted bush administration/neo nazi. What the hell is the difference?

[readmoreoften]

7. If he didn't want to get renditioned he shouldn't've worn that beard. He was askin' for it.

Do I need this? :sarcasm: