Clearing His Good Name
He has his supporters, chief among them his loyal wife, striving to convince any who would listen that her husband is innocent of all charges brought against him. He is a simple, uncomplicated, ordinary man who wishes nothing more than to be left to live out his life in peace. And security from constantly being harassed by agents of the Canadian government tasked to route out those suspected of having infiltrated Canadian society for the purpose of engaging in violently destructive acts.
Mohamed Harkat stands accused by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service as a "jihadist". CSIS has been tasked by the Government of Canada to "collect, by investigation or otherwise, to the extent that it is strictly necessary, and analyse and retain information and intelligence respecting activities that may on reasonable grounds be suspected of constituting threats to the security of Canada and, in relation thereto, shall report to and advise the Government of Canada".
And CSIS has done its duty to the country and to its citizens. The unidentified CSIS agent currently testifying at a federal court hearing with respect to the security certificate regime under which Mr. Harkat was apprehended, characterized the man as a facilitator, one who handled logistics and served as a fetcher, someone who ran errands; not himself directly engaged in the violence that fanatical jihadists are so famed for.
"Ultimately, he is part of the support network that permits groups associated with the bin Laden network to operate", a federal court was informed by the CSIS agent. As far as the federal government is concerned, Mohamed Harkat represents a foot soldier in al-Qaeda's arsenal of dedicated 'holy warrior' personnel arrayed against the West. He has been linked to terror groups associated with al-Qaeda.
He fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s, arriving in Canada as a sleeper agent who could be depended upon to assist in terror activities aimed directly at the country. His original detainment occurred in December 2002, and the government has been attempting since then to deport him to Algeria, where he was born. Mr. Harkat prefers his life in Ottawa, denying ever having aligned himself with terrorism.
However, he has been identified by the nom de guerre of Abu Muslim who operated a Peshawar guest house in Pakistan familiar to the mujahedeen and extremists on their way to and from training camps in Afghanistan. He was well provided with the funding required to establish himself on his arrival in Canada, although he maintained a safe, low profile performing menial work.
The CSIS agent described Mr. Harkat's work as a driver for a mujahedeen leader in Afghanistan, and spoke of his association with an Yemeni who also happens to be a senior al-Qaeda associate. Doubts have been raised about some of the information known about Mr. Harkat on the basis of their having been obtained from the 9/11 mastermind, under U.S. waterboarding torture.
There is one overriding fact here that should not be overlooked. Canadians depend upon their government and the government's security arms to keep them safe and secure from terrorist acts. Any single individual with the background as attributed to Mr. Harkat is not privileged to remain in a country which has good reason to view him with full suspicion as one who might do great harm to the country.
Mr. Harkat is an Algerian, Canada is on good terms with Algeria, a respected country with no reason to believe that it would undertake to punish this man to the extent that he claims. In any event, why is that particularly Canada's problem? Mr. Harkat chose to lend himself to global jihad. Of free will he made the choice to align himself with malign groups choosing to visit death and destruction on the free world.
Extradition is a tool of government that should be available as a way in which the country's safety and security can be assured. No one should believe that their individual religious imperative to express and carry out destructive and murderous acts can trump the aggregate human rights of a country and its population.
Mohamed Harkat stands accused by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service as a "jihadist". CSIS has been tasked by the Government of Canada to "collect, by investigation or otherwise, to the extent that it is strictly necessary, and analyse and retain information and intelligence respecting activities that may on reasonable grounds be suspected of constituting threats to the security of Canada and, in relation thereto, shall report to and advise the Government of Canada".
And CSIS has done its duty to the country and to its citizens. The unidentified CSIS agent currently testifying at a federal court hearing with respect to the security certificate regime under which Mr. Harkat was apprehended, characterized the man as a facilitator, one who handled logistics and served as a fetcher, someone who ran errands; not himself directly engaged in the violence that fanatical jihadists are so famed for.
"Ultimately, he is part of the support network that permits groups associated with the bin Laden network to operate", a federal court was informed by the CSIS agent. As far as the federal government is concerned, Mohamed Harkat represents a foot soldier in al-Qaeda's arsenal of dedicated 'holy warrior' personnel arrayed against the West. He has been linked to terror groups associated with al-Qaeda.
He fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s, arriving in Canada as a sleeper agent who could be depended upon to assist in terror activities aimed directly at the country. His original detainment occurred in December 2002, and the government has been attempting since then to deport him to Algeria, where he was born. Mr. Harkat prefers his life in Ottawa, denying ever having aligned himself with terrorism.
However, he has been identified by the nom de guerre of Abu Muslim who operated a Peshawar guest house in Pakistan familiar to the mujahedeen and extremists on their way to and from training camps in Afghanistan. He was well provided with the funding required to establish himself on his arrival in Canada, although he maintained a safe, low profile performing menial work.
The CSIS agent described Mr. Harkat's work as a driver for a mujahedeen leader in Afghanistan, and spoke of his association with an Yemeni who also happens to be a senior al-Qaeda associate. Doubts have been raised about some of the information known about Mr. Harkat on the basis of their having been obtained from the 9/11 mastermind, under U.S. waterboarding torture.
There is one overriding fact here that should not be overlooked. Canadians depend upon their government and the government's security arms to keep them safe and secure from terrorist acts. Any single individual with the background as attributed to Mr. Harkat is not privileged to remain in a country which has good reason to view him with full suspicion as one who might do great harm to the country.
Mr. Harkat is an Algerian, Canada is on good terms with Algeria, a respected country with no reason to believe that it would undertake to punish this man to the extent that he claims. In any event, why is that particularly Canada's problem? Mr. Harkat chose to lend himself to global jihad. Of free will he made the choice to align himself with malign groups choosing to visit death and destruction on the free world.
Extradition is a tool of government that should be available as a way in which the country's safety and security can be assured. No one should believe that their individual religious imperative to express and carry out destructive and murderous acts can trump the aggregate human rights of a country and its population.
Labels: Government of Canada, Justice, Terrorism
posted by Pieface | 6:27 PM
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