Khadr repatriation overturned by top court

[Grumpy Cat]

The Supreme Court of Canada has overturned lower-court orders that the federal government must try to repatriate Toronto-born Omar Khadr from the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay.

However, the top court agreed Canadian officials violated Khadr's human rights, and that he continues to be threatened by the effect of those violations.

In a unanimous decision released Friday, the court declared that Canadian officials breached Khadr's right to life, liberty and security of the person under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

However, it concluded that ordering the government to ask the U.S. for Khadr's repatriation to stop the continuing violation of his rights would interfere with the government's jurisdiction over foreign relations. Therefore, it chose not to issue the order, even though it had the authority to do so.

"We … leave it to the government to decide how best to respond to this judgment in light of current information, its responsibility for foreign affairs and in conformity with the charter," the ruling said.

Khadr, 23, has been imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, since he was arrested in Afghanistan at age 15, accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier. He is scheduled to be tried in July by a U.S. military court on charges of murder, conspiracy and support of terrorism.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/01/29/omar-khadr-supreme-court.html#ixzz0e3V2shwK

[nisse]

Some commented that this puts him in a nice position to do what Arar did...man I'm tired of paying for terrorist activities and government screwups. :coffee:

[Grumpy Cat]

This whole crisis could have been averted if the Canadian government had just deported the Khadrs. I mean, Omar's father was Osama's right-hand man. His brother was paralyzed after fighting in Afghanistan, and now he's being treated by the Canadian health care system. And these people were very outspoken on their radical Islamic views, even going on TV. They hate Canada and everything about it except when they need free health care. What a joke!

Ok. So the kids were born in Canada so maybe they couldn't deport them. Smart of Mr. and Mrs Khadr to have anchor babies. But the kid was a child soldier and he was forced into fighting by his wingnut Muslim extremist parents. He should have been taken out of that home and put into foster care long ago and his parents charged with child endangerment. If anyone failed in this case, it's the child protection services.

I am for repatriating him, mainly because it's a PR nightmare for Canada (well, our whole current "government" is one), but he should stay locked up in a Canadian prison for life.