Canada to compensate ex-Guantanamo inmate, apologise

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The Canadian government will apologise to former Guantanamo Bay inmate Omar Khadr and pay him about 7.7 million dollas to compensate him for the abuse he suffered in detention, sources said on Tuesday.

A Canadian citizen, Khadr was captured in Afghanistan in 2002 at age 15 after a firefight with U.S. soldiers.

He pleaded guilty to killing a U.S. army medic and became the youngest inmate held at the U.S. military prison in Cuba.

Khadr later recanted and his lawyers said he had been grossly mistreated.

 

 

The Canadian Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that Canada breached his rights by sending intelligence agents to interrogate him and by sharing the results with the U.S.

Khadr spent a decade in Guantanamo before being returned to Canada in 2012 to serve the rest of his sentence.

He was released on bail in 2015 and lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

According to the sources, the Canadian government and Khadr’s lawyers reached the compensation deal.

 

 

Canada has reached a series of expensive settlements with citizens imprisoned abroad who alleged Ottawa was complicit in their mistreatment.

Khadr who is now 30, had sued Ottawa on the grounds of violating his human rights.

Khadr was taken to Afghanistan by his father, a senior al Qaeda member, who apprenticed the boy to a group of bomb makers who opened fire when U.S. troops went to their compound.

The father was killed in a battle with Pakistani forces in 2003.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ireland for a visit, said the judicial process should be ending soon but declined further comment.

Spokesperson for Trudeau and Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould refused to respond to requests for comment neither did Khadr’s lawyers.

The U.S. Embassy was closed for the July 4 U.S. holiday.

“It is the right decision in light of the callous and unlawful treatment meted out to Khadr with the complicity of Canadian officials,” Ihsaan Gardee, Executive Director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims said. (Reuters/NAN)
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