[van-announce] CKUT Radio: Adil Charkaoui - Resisting the Security Certificate & CSIS

[Stefan Christoff]

CKUT Radio: Adil Charkaoui - Resisting the Security Certificate & CSIS

This piece focuses on the cases of Adil Charkaoui & Mohammed Harkat, who
are both currently being held in detention under the "Security
Certificate". Adil Charkaoui a landed immigrant originally from Morocco
and father of a young son, was nabbed on Wednesday May 21 in a police and
security operation off the streets of Montreal. Mohammed Harkat is an
Ottawa resident and Algerian refugee, also arrested and detained under the
"Security Certificate". Harkat has been detained in solitary confinement
without trial since late 2002. Mohammed Harkat like Adil Charkaoui is also
facing deportation from Canada without the presentation of any public
evidence as to his guilt.

The "Security Certificate" allows the Canadian government to arrest,
detain and deport landed immigrants, who are charged with being a
"national security" threat. There is no chance of bail, detention can be
indefinite and neither the person detained under the "Security
Certificate" nor their defense lawyer is able to access the "evidence".
The "Security Certificate" is being increasingly used to arrest, detain
and deport members of Arab and/or Muslim communities throughout Canada.

Both Adil Charkaoui and Mohammed Harkat are accused of having links to
"terrorist" groups such as Al-Qa'ida, however there has been no evidence
presented by the Canadian State to prove the allegation, a practice
allowed under Canada's post September 11th "security" laws. Turning
commonly accepted judicial practice on it's head, Charkaoui and Harkat are
considered guilty until proven innocent. To respond to the recent arrest
of Charkaoui, the Justice for Adil Charkaoui Campaign formed in Montreal
in a matter of days after his abrupt arrest. In Ottawa a similar campaign
-- comprised of an alliance of progressive Muslim groups, refugee &
immigrant rights organizations -- has formed to demand a fair trial for
Mohammed Harkat and an end to the "Security Certificate".

To listen to an interview with Sophie Harkat (wife of Mohammed Harkat) &
Yahya Abdul Rahman a community organizer with the Justice for Adil
Charkaoui Campaign visit:
http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=7162

To get more information on the Justice for Adil Charkaoui Campaign visit:
http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/adilfile.htm

To get more information about the case of Mohammed Harkat visit:
http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/harkat

-----------------------------------------

Hind Charkaoui: "We are horrified and disgusted"

Yahya Abdul Rahman

Montreal June 2, 2003 - (MMN) For the first time since her brother, Adil
Charkaoui, was arrested, Hind Charkaoui has spoken out in public about her
feelings regarding what has happened to her brother.

On Saturday evening, May 31st, the Justice Coalition for Adil Charkaoui, a
collection of local activists working for the right of due process for Mr.
Charkaoui, hosted a public panel discussion at Concordia University
entitled "Resisting the Security Certificate, CSIS & Secret Trials the
case of Adil Charkaoui."

On Wednesday evening May 21st, Mr. Charkaoui, aged 30, a landed immigrant
originally from Morocco and father of one with another child on the way,
was arrested in Montreal and is currently being held in detention under a
"national security certificate" charged with "secret evidence" which
alleges he is a terrorist. Neither he or his defense know what the full
charges are against him.

Hind told the audience that her family, along with her brother Adil, moved
to Canada in 1995, and they were expecting to "live in a country of
justice, equality, and one based the respect of  the rule of law."

Since his arrival, stated Hind, her brother has taught French in several
schools, and continued his studies.

"Adil's arrest came in the context of harassment of the Muslim community
by the RCMP and CSIS, and in particular those coming from the Middle East
and Arab world," Hind stated.

"Those arrested under security certificates can be held without charge,
have no access to the evidence against them, and be threatened to be
deported to their country of origin where they have a high chance of being
tortured or put to death," she further said.

"Security Certificates are a regression to the arbitrariness of the middle
ages," she stated.

"I don't know why this is happening to my brother, but one thing I do know
is that he was repeatedly harassed by CSIS to become an informer for them,
but he did not agree to cooperate," she continued.

Unlike his sisters and parents, said Hind, the whole family were granted
full Canadian citizenship, but Adil was refused.

"We are horrified and disgusted," stated Hind.

Hind thanked those present for their moral and financial support and
reminded the audience that this could happen to anyone, so their
solidarity is very important.

Although the event focused on the recent arrest and current detention of
Mr. Charkaoui, spokespersons from the No One is Illegal Campaign of
Montreal, the Muslim Council Of Montreal and the Action Committee for
Non-Status Algerians also addressed the audience, which numbered about
150.

Mohamed Cherfi, who spoke on behalf of the Action Committee for Non-Status
Algerians,  just returned from Ottawa after being brutalized by riot
police and temporarily jailed after staging a sit-in of Immigration
Minister Denis Coderre's main offices at the headquarters of Immigration
Canada in Ottawa. For several hours Cherfi, along with a small group of
other Algerians and their supporters tried to negotiate for a face-to-face
meeting with Denis Coderre, to ask for tangible answers concerning the
plight of non-status Algerians who are facing deportation from Canada in
the coming weeks and months.

The sit-in was peaceful.

The police reacted to the protestors by targeting certain individuals by
beating them and smashing them against hard surfaces. In addition, Taser
guns were used on them which causes muscle spasms and makes the entire
body shake due to electric shock, and also causes mental confusion that
can last up to thirty minutes. This electric shocks were applied to them
after they were already handcuffed.

Cherfi, along with two other Algerians present, showed the scars on their
faces and arms left behind by the police beatings and Taser guns.

"We should no longer believe that this is a country where the rule of law
applies," Cherfi stated.

"Before we came to this part of the world we were dreaming and saw the
west through a TV set, but when we actually came to experience it first
hand, the rest of the story was quite different," he said.

People were encouraged to donate to Adil's campaign and get involved in
resisting the what the organizers referred to as "the harsh and inhumane
crackdown on immigrant & refugee communities by the Canadian State" which
they say is done in the name of "National Security" and "reflects an
ongoing and systemic racism of the Canadian State."

Many people left their contact information behind and desired to be
contacted for future actions, which the coalition has vowed to continue in
the days ahead.

The coalition can be reached via e-mail at justiceforadil at riseup.net


----------------------