Thursday, September 24, 2009, CBC News

The Federal Court of Canada said Thursday a security certificate against a Montreal man who has been imprisoned or under surveillance for six years will be dropped. Judge Danielle Tremblay Lamer said the only question remaining is how soon it will happen. Without being charged with any criminal offence, Adil Charkaoui spent two years in Canadian detention and another four years under house arrest after he was apprehended in 2003 on suspicion of links to al-Qaeda.

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By Jim Bronskill (CP) – Sept 21, Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Terror suspect Mohamed Harkat planned an outing with his 10-year-old niece to mark the return of simple freedoms he hasn’t enjoyed since his arrest almost seven years ago. A Federal Court judge and lawyers for all parties approved lighter release conditions for Harkat on Monday, but some bail-related issues remained in the case. A new federal risk assessment has concluded that Harkat’s high public profile makes the alleged al-Qaida collaborator less dangerous. Supporters applauded, and Harkat and wife Sophie wept, as Justice Simon Noel read the news in court on Monday.

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August 26, 2009, Thomas Walkom, Toronto Star

In the topsy-turvy world of security, few stories are more bizarre than that of Adil Charkaoui. Six years ago, the federal government jailed him as an alleged Al Qaeda sleeper agent. Now, it turns out, the government admits it has no credible evidence of that or indeed anything else against him that it’s willing to test in court. But the government still wants the 36-year-old Montrealer – who has applied for but not yet been granted Canadian citizenship – deported to his native Morocco. Charkaoui is one of five Muslim men, non-citizens all, caught up in the Catch-22 web of Canadian immigration law. This allows the government – under judicial oversight – to jail without charge and eventually deport any non-citizen it deems a security risk.

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* Judge to decide in September whether to quash certificate or order Ministers to withdraw it, http://www.adilinfo.org/

The Federal government has admitted that there is insufficient evidence in Adil Charkaoui’s file to uphold the security certificate against him. The startling admission was filed with the Federal Court on July 31st. In a directive issued on August 5th, Federal Court Justice Tremblay-Lamer, who is presiding in the case, wrote that, “in light of the admission by the Ministers that the evidence is insufficient to meet their burden of proof,” she will consider whether she should quash the certificate or order the Ministers to revoke it themselves on her return from holidays, in early September. “I am relieved but also shocked by the recent revelations by the government. They have previously destroyed evidence in the file; now the Ministers have admitted in writing that they have insufficient evidence. Was it necessary to wait ten years before admitting the absence of evidence?” stated Mr. Adil Charkaoui.

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On June 26, as part of a Canada-wide speaking tour, Adil Charkaoui  spoke in Vancouver on Security Certificates and Secret Trials. This event was sponsored by No One Is Illegal-Vancouver, BC Civil Liberties Association, Canadian Muslim Union, Council of Canadians – BC / Yukon Region, Canadian Islamic Congress, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Video linked here.
Audio linked here.

Adil Charkaoui is a Morocco-born permanent resident of Canada who was arrested by the Canadian government under a security certificate in May 2003 in Montreal. Along with four other Muslim men, he constitutes the “Secret Trial Five” held under a measure of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that allows for the preventive arrest and detention of non-citizens, without charge, under secret evidence that can lead to indefinite detention and possible deportation to torture. The full event information is linked here