geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...
Maher Arar
Maher Arar ( ar, ماهر عرار) (born 1970) is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who has resided in Canada since 1987.
Arar was detained during a layover at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Septem ...
in Syria.http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/200801/20080108.html CBC interview He reported being beaten and interrogated about his connection to a Toronto Islamic school; and called for a
public inquiry
A tribunal of inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body. In many common law countries, such as the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, Australia and Canada, such a public inquiry differs from a royal ...
into the role of Canadian officials in his detention. The Honourable Frank Iacobucci released his report in 2008 and concluded that Nurredin
"suffered mistreatment amounting to torture" while in Syrian detention and that deficient information sharing by CSIS and the
RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
"likely contributed" to his detention in Syria. After pursuing a civil litigation for nearly ten years, in July 2017, Nureddin and two other torture victims settled their claims with the Canadian government.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS, ; french: Service canadien du renseignement de sécurité, ''SCRS'') is Canada's primary national intelligence agency. It is responsible for collecting, analysing, reporting and disseminating int ...
(CSIS) in 2000, and interviewed.
On September 16, 2003, Nureddin boarded his flight at
Pearson International Airport
Lester B. Pearson International Airport , commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport, is an international airport located in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the main airport serving Toronto, its metropolitan area, and the surro ...
towards Amsterdam, intending to travel from there on to Iraq to visit family.Outline of Submissions on Behalf of Muayyed Nureddin Concerning Standards of Conduct /ref> He was questioned by a pair of CSIS officials for 45 minutes prior to departure, and asked about the amount of money he was carrying with him, and whether he knew
Aly Hindy Aly Hindy is the Imam of the Salaheddin Islamic Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada once called "Toronto's million-dollar radical mosque” by the ''National Post''.
Career
Hindy immigrated to Canada in 1975 after graduating in Engineering from ...
,
Hassan Farhat
Hassan Farhat ( ar, حسن فرحات) (Born in Telafa, Iraq, also known as Abdul Jabbar,Hamilton, Dwight. "Terror Threat: International and Homegrown terrorists and their threat to Canada", 2007 Abu Ossama, and Abu Khalid) is an Iraqi Imam who ...
or Subghat Allah Rasul. He flew to Amsterdam, and then to Iraq, without incident.
Arrest and imprisonment
On December 11, 2003, Nureddin left Iraq towards
Damascus, Syria
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
where he had booked a flight home to Toronto. However he was detained at the border and turned over to Syrian Military Intelligence. It was at their hands that he claims to have been tortured and beaten with cables, and asked the same questions that CSIS had asked him in Toronto.
On January 13, 2004, Nureddin was released and met by the Canadian consul in Syria, Leo Martel, who was waiting in the offices of Syrian General Khalil. Nureddin met with the Canadian ambassador, and was flown home by Martel the following day; and was questioned by Martel about what had happened in the prison. He was later questioned again by CSIS agents Mike Boehm and Ian Ferguson.
Inquiry
In 2006 the Canadian government initiated an independent inquiry to determine the facts leading to his detention in Syria. As of 9 January 2008, the Commission of Inquiry continues to hear arguments about procedural matters and "standards of conduct", before starting hearings into the substantive matters of concern to the inquiry and participants.
Attention was paid to the fact that Arar had already returned to Canada and denounced Canadian involvement in the Syrian prison; prior to Nureddin's being arrested and sent under identical circumstances to face the same Syrian interrogators.
On June 18, 2009, the Canadian House of Parliament voted in favour of an official apology and compensation to Almalki, el-Maati and Nureddin.
Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...