SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
As Canada and US Bicker over Procedure, Child Soldier Remains in Guantanamo
Omar Khadr, the child soldier captured by US forces in Afghanistan 2002 when he was only 15 years old, remains held at the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as US and Canadian officials haggle over the details of his transfer to Canada.
In 2010, Khadr--who has born in Canada but raised mostly in Pakistan by his Egyptian Canadian parents--pled guilty to a series of terrorism charges in exchange for a fixed prison sentence and promises of an early transfer out of Gitmo and back to his native Canada to serve out the remainder of his term.
Sep 13, 2012
Omar Khadr, the child soldier captured by US forces in Afghanistan 2002 when he was only 15 years old, remains held at the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as US and Canadian officials haggle over the details of his transfer to Canada.
In 2010, Khadr--who has born in Canada but raised mostly in Pakistan by his Egyptian Canadian parents--pled guilty to a series of terrorism charges in exchange for a fixed prison sentence and promises of an early transfer out of Gitmo and back to his native Canada to serve out the remainder of his term.
US Secretary of State Leon Panetta approved his transfer in April of this year, but still he lingers in US custody. Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews blames the US for delayin the transfer, but Khadr lawyer, John Norris, puts the fault squarely at the feet of the Canadian government.
"Clearly, it's the minister's office that is mishandling the file," Norris said Thursday and argued that Toews should have rendered his decision to accept Khadr's transfer at least two months ago.
According to Toews and other officials in Canada, the other matter complicating the transfer has been the discovery of "sealed videos of mental assessments" of Khadr by US psychiatrists Michael Welner and Alan Hopwell and used by US military prosecutors during his trial. The official says they were only made aware of the videos in February following media reports of their existence.
However, Khadr's lawyer, as the Toronto Star explains, found that explanation hard to believe:
"The existence of the videotapes has never been a secret," said Norris. "Anyone who followed the trial knew about them."
On Oct. 20, 2010, three days before the diplomatic deal was finalized, the National Post also ran a feature on Welner where he discusses some of his findings.
Washington handed over the reports and video to Ottawa last week.
Toews' office denies a report made late Wednesday that a decision has been made approving Khadr's transfer.
Citing unnamed sources, the Huffington Post reported that Khadr is likely to be transferred back to Canada before the U.S. presidential election in November.
However the report also stated that the transfer date "has yet to be set and none of the timelines finalized."
# # #
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Omar Khadr, the child soldier captured by US forces in Afghanistan 2002 when he was only 15 years old, remains held at the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as US and Canadian officials haggle over the details of his transfer to Canada.
In 2010, Khadr--who has born in Canada but raised mostly in Pakistan by his Egyptian Canadian parents--pled guilty to a series of terrorism charges in exchange for a fixed prison sentence and promises of an early transfer out of Gitmo and back to his native Canada to serve out the remainder of his term.
US Secretary of State Leon Panetta approved his transfer in April of this year, but still he lingers in US custody. Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews blames the US for delayin the transfer, but Khadr lawyer, John Norris, puts the fault squarely at the feet of the Canadian government.
"Clearly, it's the minister's office that is mishandling the file," Norris said Thursday and argued that Toews should have rendered his decision to accept Khadr's transfer at least two months ago.
According to Toews and other officials in Canada, the other matter complicating the transfer has been the discovery of "sealed videos of mental assessments" of Khadr by US psychiatrists Michael Welner and Alan Hopwell and used by US military prosecutors during his trial. The official says they were only made aware of the videos in February following media reports of their existence.
However, Khadr's lawyer, as the Toronto Star explains, found that explanation hard to believe:
"The existence of the videotapes has never been a secret," said Norris. "Anyone who followed the trial knew about them."
On Oct. 20, 2010, three days before the diplomatic deal was finalized, the National Post also ran a feature on Welner where he discusses some of his findings.
Washington handed over the reports and video to Ottawa last week.
Toews' office denies a report made late Wednesday that a decision has been made approving Khadr's transfer.
Citing unnamed sources, the Huffington Post reported that Khadr is likely to be transferred back to Canada before the U.S. presidential election in November.
However the report also stated that the transfer date "has yet to be set and none of the timelines finalized."
# # #
Omar Khadr, the child soldier captured by US forces in Afghanistan 2002 when he was only 15 years old, remains held at the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as US and Canadian officials haggle over the details of his transfer to Canada.
In 2010, Khadr--who has born in Canada but raised mostly in Pakistan by his Egyptian Canadian parents--pled guilty to a series of terrorism charges in exchange for a fixed prison sentence and promises of an early transfer out of Gitmo and back to his native Canada to serve out the remainder of his term.
US Secretary of State Leon Panetta approved his transfer in April of this year, but still he lingers in US custody. Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews blames the US for delayin the transfer, but Khadr lawyer, John Norris, puts the fault squarely at the feet of the Canadian government.
"Clearly, it's the minister's office that is mishandling the file," Norris said Thursday and argued that Toews should have rendered his decision to accept Khadr's transfer at least two months ago.
According to Toews and other officials in Canada, the other matter complicating the transfer has been the discovery of "sealed videos of mental assessments" of Khadr by US psychiatrists Michael Welner and Alan Hopwell and used by US military prosecutors during his trial. The official says they were only made aware of the videos in February following media reports of their existence.
However, Khadr's lawyer, as the Toronto Star explains, found that explanation hard to believe:
"The existence of the videotapes has never been a secret," said Norris. "Anyone who followed the trial knew about them."
On Oct. 20, 2010, three days before the diplomatic deal was finalized, the National Post also ran a feature on Welner where he discusses some of his findings.
Washington handed over the reports and video to Ottawa last week.
Toews' office denies a report made late Wednesday that a decision has been made approving Khadr's transfer.
Citing unnamed sources, the Huffington Post reported that Khadr is likely to be transferred back to Canada before the U.S. presidential election in November.
However the report also stated that the transfer date "has yet to be set and none of the timelines finalized."
# # #
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy