Category: Omar Khadr

Omar Khadr bail conditions eased

22/9/2015

Khadr aged 15 handling land mine in Afghanistan

Op-Ed: Omar Khadr has had his bail conditions eased while waiting for his appeal on a war crimes sentence. He is the Canadian who was captured in Afghanistan during a fire fight. He was severely wounded at the time and has lost the sight in one eye. He was 15 at the time of the fire fight.

Khadr was transported to the Guantanamo Cuba prison camp where he spent 10 years. He confessed to the crimes that the US military brought against him after many years in the camp. He was sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence before being repatriated to Canada where he was incarcerated in an Alberta prison. Since returning to Canada, he maintains that the confession was coerced and invalid.

He has been released since with stringent conditions which included have to wear a tracking device on his ankle, having his computer monitored, living with his lawyer, and only speaking English. In a ruling today, the Alberta court ruled that he is to have the ankle device removed, his computer free of the tracking software because it interferes with the course work he is taking, he will be able to attend early morning prayers and speak to his grandparents.

His visit to his grandparents in Toronto may include a long car or bus ride. Canada’s security agency maintains a list of people who are banned from flying. It is called the Specified Persons List and the names are kept secret. The criteria for being placed on the list may be a “reasonable suspicion” of bad behavior. Unfortunately, a person who has had their name placed on the list will only find out that they are banned from a flight after they have bought a ticket and attempted to clear security.

Khadr’s permission to visit his grandparents in the company of his lawyer must be undertaken before the end of 2015. He has two weeks to complete the visit.

Khadr’s family had been supporters of the Al Qaeda movement and personal friends of the Bin Ladens. His father was killed in Afghanistan and a brother severely wounded. His mother and sister were active in the press denouncing Canada and our way of life which garnered little sympathy for their youngest son. The CBC has reported that Khadr’s mother and sister are not currently living in Canada.

This is a complex situation where there are no winners, only losers. Khadr was taken to Afghanistan by his jihadist parents. He was present during a fire fight there in which he was severely wounded. He spent his teen years in a ‘black’ prison among jihadists. A US medic lost his life and his young family mourns his death. The harm and loss go on and on.

Related reading;
Omar Khadr granted bail by Alberta judge
Omar Khadr granted bail

Sources;
CBC News
Macleans
Public Safety Canada

0 Comments

Omar Khadr granted bail

8/5/2015

1 Comment

Omar Khadr was granted bail today. He has been able to leave prison custody in Alberta after 13 years. Khadr was captured and imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay black prison in 2002, later transferred to maximum security prison in Canada and then to minimum security in Alberta.

His bail comes with conditions while he awaits his appeal for his conviction of crimes committed while he was in Afghanistan. Some of the conditions are as follows.

·         He must continue to see his psychologist

·         He has a curfew from 10pm to 7am

·         He must live with his lawyer in his home in Edmonton

·         He must wear a tracking bracelet

·         He has limited contact with his family

·         He has limited use of computers and the internet

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the following statement following the court’s decision to grant bail:

"Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to heinous crimes, including the murder of American army medic Sgt. Christopher Speer." CBC

Dennis Edney(Khadr’s lawyer) statement:

My view is very clear," said Edney, "Mr. Harper is a bigot. Mr. Harper does not like Muslims."

The ruling has brought out acrimony on all sides. Omar Khadr was accused of the killing of a US military medic during a fire fight in Afghanistan. He is also accused of blinding a soldier in one eye during the same incident. During the same incident, Khadr was shot three times and blinded in one eye.

Khadr was 15 years old at the time. Canada has signed the UN resolution on child soldiers. This means that people younger than 18 years of age cannot be treated as adults, but steps need to be taken to rehabilitate. Khadr and his family are Canadian citizens and entitled to protection under the country’s laws.

Instead, with the collusion of Canada’s spy agency, Khadr was transferred at the age of 15 to the notorious off shore prison on Guantanamo Bay where military rules.

The extent of torture that he was exposed to is unknown, but in video of him being interviewed by Canadian representatives, he is pleading for medical care.

While Khadr was imprisoned the US changed a law that made it a war crime to oppose US troops. The firefight took place in Afghanistan where the US military was the invading force.

Canadian courts have consistently ruled that Khadr’s rights as a Canadian citizen were violated.

Khadr pleaded guilty to murder and war crimes in a plea-bargain session August 9, 2010. I would like to remind people that those American pilots downed and captured in N. Vietnam 45 years ago confessed to dreadful crimes while being held in inhumane conditions too. People captured by Al Qaeda operatives have confessed to amazing crimes while being held outside the law as well.

Opinion
We cannot know how Omar Khadr will fare in our modern Canadian society, whether he will be a model citizen or not. If we value the rule of law in this country, then we must respect what those entrusted with our justice system have decided.

Sources:
CBC News
CTVNews
CBC News

1 Comment

Omar Khadr granted bail by Alberta judge

25/4/2015

2 Comments

Khadr at end of fatal fire fight

Omar Khadr, former child soldier in Afghanistan, has been granted bail by Alberta judge June Ross. The Conservative government has announced that they will appeal bail.

Omar Khadr was wounded and taken prisoner by American forces following a fierce fight in Afghanistan. He was 15 at the time. After he had partially recovered from his bullet wounds he was moved to Guantanamo Prison. Guantanamo Prison is an offshore American prison which operates outside the rule of law.

In a murky action against the child soldier, testimony changed and eventually Khadr was named the murderer of a US Army medic. Sergeant Christopher Speer was killed. At first it was reported that Speer was killed by one of the deceased Afghanis, but after Khadr was found to be still alive, he was tagged with the murder.

It has been admitted by the US government that various forms of torture were routinely used to extract information and/or confessions. There were suspicious deaths. After years of incarceration, many of the men were deemed not to be dangerous but still could not be released.

Khadr was faced with life in Guantanamo if he did not confess to the murder. He did confess and received a prison sentence.

He later recanted his confession and was subsequently repatriated to an Alberta prison with an eight year sentence.

His appeal cites a U.S. court ruling declaring retroactive war-crimes laws unconstitutional. The United States made it a war crime for enemy combatants to engage in battle with U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, but that was several years after Mr. Khadr’s capture. Globe and Mail

Khadr’s sentence expires October 2018. Currently he is being held in a minimum security prison. He will remain in prison at least until May 5th when bail conditions will be announced.

Khadr, now 28, is a Canadian citizen. His mother and sister survive as well as a disabled brother. His father was a fund raiser for Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. His parents can be described as toxic and his sister has been vociferous in her support for terrorism. Khadr at age 14 was introduced to bomb making by his father.

Sources:
The Globe and Mail
CBC News

2 Comments

Omar Khadr bail conditions eased

Omar Khadr granted bail

Omar Khadr granted bail by Alberta judge

Barbara McPherson

Archives

Categories