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'Guantanamo North' opens for terror suspects Allison Hanes - National Post VIA NWO must be stopped \|\| May 15, 2006 Related - Canada: Security certificates overturn long-standing democratic rights Four foreign terrorism suspects detained in Canada under national security certificates were transferred yesterday to a new dedicated holding facility in Kingston, Ont., that detractors have branded "Guantanamo North." The separate, six-cell, high-security complex constructed on the grounds of the Millhaven penitentiary will now be home to Mohamed Harkat, an Algerian national, Hassan Almrei, a Syrian, Mohamed Mahjoub and Mahmoud Jaballah, both Egyptian. "The transfer has been completed for the four," Cara Prest, a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency, said late yesterday, having earlier refused to confirm the move citing security concerns. Along with Moroccan-born Adil Charkaoui -- who is now out on bail in Montreal -- the four were arrested in Canada on suspicion of having ties to international terrorist groups. The Canadian government is trying to deport all five to their homelands, employing a rare procedure called a national security certificate that allows them to be held without charge in administrative detention while all evidence is reviewed behind closed doors by a Federal Court judge. The four suspects are fighting expulsion on the grounds that they will be tortured, imprisoned or executed if they return to their countries of origin. They are also challenging the legality of their confinement. All five are free to leave Canada if they wish at any time. But until yesterday, the men were housed in jails and prisons in Ottawa and Toronto because they have been deemed a security threat. Ms. Prest said the $3.2-million Kingston Immigration Holding Centre was built to better meet the needs of the special prisoners, whose detention is governed by different laws than those of regular inmates. "The facility is going to be better suited for them to meet with their families, have better access to writing materials, reading materials, exercise, health and dental services and religious observance," she said. Sophie Harkat, who wed Mohamed Harkat two years before his apprehension, had been expecting her husband's transfer since he was informed of the impending move in a letter some months ago. But she said she was shocked to have to learn the news from an inmate at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre who called her around lunchtime to tell her that her husband had been whisked away. "They didn't allow him a phone call. They didn't allow him a chance to say goodbye," she said. "They just grabbed him." Ms. Harkat -- who is convinced of her husband's innocence and runs a group aimed at freeing him -- challenged the claim that he would be better off in Kingston. Until yesterday, the Ottawa resident was able to visit her spouse twice a week. Now she will have to travel two-and-a-half hours to see him. Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com "There's a Guantanamo North in Canada," said Ms. Harkat, comparing the Kingston detention facility with the much-maligned U.S. prison camp for illegal combatants and foreign terrorism suspects on a military base in Cuba. "This is the same as Guantanamo except they'll have access to their families. "This is shameful." Mr. Harkat's Toronto lawyer, Paul Copeland, said he knew his client would eventually be moved from Ottawa to Kingston, but had hoped it would not happen until a final decision is made on his application for bail. Mr. Copeland said he had also hoped Mr. Harkat would remain in Ottawa until a challenge of his detention is heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in early June. "Am I surprised? No," Mr. Copeland said. "Is it consistent with [the government's] usual behaviour? Yes." Mr. Harkat, arrested in December, 2002, is suspected, according to Federal Court rulings, of being a member of Osama bin Laden's terror network who uses the handle Abu Muslim. Mr. Almrei, meanwhile, is believed to have a history of involvement with Islamic extremist groups and trained at terror camps in Afghanistan. Mr. Majoub is considered a high-level member of the Egyptian faction the Vanguards of Conquest, while Mr. Jaballah is alleged to have been a member of the Al Jihad terror organization. It was unclear yesterday whether the four would be allowed to mingle with each other at the new facility. ahanes@nationalpost.com About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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'Guantanamo North' opens for terror suspects

Allison Hanes - National Post VIA NWO must be stopped || May 15, 2006

Related - Canada: Security certificates overturn long-standing democratic rights

Four foreign terrorism suspects detained in Canada under national security certificates were transferred yesterday to a new dedicated holding facility in Kingston, Ont., that detractors have branded "Guantanamo North."

The separate, six-cell, high-security complex constructed on the grounds of the Millhaven penitentiary will now be home to Mohamed Harkat, an Algerian national, Hassan Almrei, a Syrian, Mohamed Mahjoub and Mahmoud Jaballah, both Egyptian.

"The transfer has been completed for the four," Cara Prest, a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency, said late yesterday, having earlier refused to confirm the move citing security concerns.

Along with Moroccan-born Adil Charkaoui -- who is now out on bail in Montreal -- the four were arrested in Canada on suspicion of having ties to international terrorist groups.

The Canadian government is trying to deport all five to their homelands, employing a rare procedure called a national security certificate that allows them to be held without charge in administrative detention while all evidence is reviewed behind closed doors by a Federal Court judge.

The four suspects are fighting expulsion on the grounds that they will be tortured, imprisoned or executed if they return to their countries of origin. They are also challenging the legality of their confinement.

All five are free to leave Canada if they wish at any time. But until yesterday, the men were housed in jails and prisons in Ottawa and Toronto because they have been deemed a security threat.

Ms. Prest said the $3.2-million Kingston Immigration Holding Centre was built to better meet the needs of the special prisoners, whose detention is governed by different laws than those of regular inmates.

"The facility is going to be better suited for them to meet with their families, have better access to writing materials, reading materials, exercise, health and dental services and religious observance," she said.

Sophie Harkat, who wed Mohamed Harkat two years before his apprehension, had been expecting her husband's transfer since he was informed of the impending move in a letter some months ago.

But she said she was shocked to have to learn the news from an inmate at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre who called her around lunchtime to tell her that her husband had been whisked away.

"They didn't allow him a phone call. They didn't allow him a chance to say goodbye," she said. "They just grabbed him."

Ms. Harkat -- who is convinced of her husband's innocence and runs a group aimed at freeing him -- challenged the claim that he would be better off in Kingston.

Until yesterday, the Ottawa resident was able to visit her spouse twice a week. Now she will have to travel two-and-a-half hours to see him.

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

"There's a Guantanamo North in Canada," said Ms. Harkat, comparing the Kingston detention facility with the much-maligned U.S. prison camp for illegal combatants and foreign terrorism suspects on a military base in Cuba. "This is the same as Guantanamo except they'll have access to their families.

"This is shameful."

Mr. Harkat's Toronto lawyer, Paul Copeland, said he knew his client would eventually be moved from Ottawa to Kingston, but had hoped it would not happen until a final decision is made on his application for bail.

Mr. Copeland said he had also hoped Mr. Harkat would remain in Ottawa until a challenge of his detention is heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in early June.

"Am I surprised? No," Mr. Copeland said. "Is it consistent with [the government's] usual behaviour? Yes."

Mr. Harkat, arrested in December, 2002, is suspected, according to Federal Court rulings, of being a member of Osama bin Laden's terror network who uses the handle Abu Muslim.

Mr. Almrei, meanwhile, is believed to have a history of involvement with Islamic extremist groups and trained at terror camps in Afghanistan.

Mr. Majoub is considered a high-level member of the Egyptian faction the Vanguards of Conquest, while Mr. Jaballah is alleged to have been a member of the Al Jihad terror organization.

It was unclear yesterday whether the four would be allowed to mingle with each other at the new facility.

ahanes@nationalpost.com

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