Abdellah Ouzghar
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Abdellah Ouzghar is a joint citizen of Canada and Morocco, who was arrested in Canada shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, on suspicion of ties to terrorist organizations.[1][dead link] A man in Taiwan was found to be using Ouzghar's passport, which had been doctored.[1] According to the Hamilton Spectator, France has charged Ouzghar with "... forgery, uttering a forged document and two related conspiracy charges...." Ouzghar has been free on bail and is fighting extradition to France.
Ouzghar claims that he was initially approached at his Montreal home in 1996, and asked to work as a spy for Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), but refused on religious grounds - leading to an attempt to "set him up" by the intelligence service. CSIS admits having interviewed him at the time, but denies that they were trying to recruit him.[2][3]
John Norris, Ouzghar's lawyer, argues that even if Ouzghar was involved in forging a passport, that crime would have occurred in Canada, and should be prosecuted in Canada.[1]
Madame Justice Susan Himel, who recently took up responsibility for Ouzghar's case when an earlier judge bowed out due to ill-health, made a ruling on January 12, 2007.[1] The Hamilton Spectator quoted Norris characterizing Justice Himel's ruling as: "...there was insufficient evidence to show Ouzghar was a member of a terrorist group." Norris called this a "major blow" to France's case for extradition.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Marissa Nelson. "Extradition fight far from finished: Ruling 'major blow' against French case", Hamilton Spectator, January 13, 2007. Retrieved on January 13.
- ^ CTV News, Man facing deportation refused to spy for CSIS, January 14, 2003
- ^ CBC, CSIS never wanted Ouzghar as spy: official, January 20, 2003
[edit] External links
- Judge rejects terror claim against man: Ottawa must decide whether to allow Canadian's extradition to France after court rules he didn't belong to terrorist group, Toronto Star, January 13, 2007
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