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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Canada 'sorry' over deportation | Canada 'sorry' over deportation |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The head of Canada's national police force has publicly apologised to a man deported to Syria after being falsely accused of terrorism. | The head of Canada's national police force has publicly apologised to a man deported to Syria after being falsely accused of terrorism. |
| Maher Arar was deported by US customs agents to Syria after Canadian police labelled him an Islamic extremist. | Maher Arar was deported by US customs agents to Syria after Canadian police labelled him an Islamic extremist. |
| Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli said his force had made major mistakes. | |
| A public inquiry found Mr Arar had been caught up in a hunt for terror suspects after the 2001 attacks on the US. | A public inquiry found Mr Arar had been caught up in a hunt for terror suspects after the 2001 attacks on the US. |
| Mr Zaccardelli says he has no intention of resigning over the affair despite calls for him to do so. | Mr Zaccardelli says he has no intention of resigning over the affair despite calls for him to do so. |
| He said: "I wish to take this opportunity to express publicly to you and to your wife and to your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the RCMP may have contributed to the terrible injustices that you experienced and the pain that you and your family endured." | He said: "I wish to take this opportunity to express publicly to you and to your wife and to your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the RCMP may have contributed to the terrible injustices that you experienced and the pain that you and your family endured." |
| False information | False information |
| He also said he fully accepted the 23 recommendations made by the report of a public inquiry into the Arar case. | He also said he fully accepted the 23 recommendations made by the report of a public inquiry into the Arar case. |
| Published last week, this heavily criticised the police force for spreading misleading and false information about the Syrian-born Canadian. | Published last week, this heavily criticised the police force for spreading misleading and false information about the Syrian-born Canadian. |
| The inquiry said claims linking Mr Arar to al-Qaeda probably contributed to his deportation by US authorities to Syria in 2002. | The inquiry said claims linking Mr Arar to al-Qaeda probably contributed to his deportation by US authorities to Syria in 2002. |
| In Damascus, he was imprisoned for a year and tortured before Canadian officials finally secured his release. | In Damascus, he was imprisoned for a year and tortured before Canadian officials finally secured his release. |
| In his appearance before a parliamentary committee, Mr Zaccardelli said his officials tried to correct some of that information before Mr Arar was deported. | In his appearance before a parliamentary committee, Mr Zaccardelli said his officials tried to correct some of that information before Mr Arar was deported. |
| Washington has said little about the Arar case. | Washington has said little about the Arar case. |
| Canada's public safety minister said he has brought it again to the attention of the US homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff. | Canada's public safety minister said he has brought it again to the attention of the US homeland security chief, Michael Chertoff. |