OMG! Arar Compaigning for riches!

[bk59]

Well I type fast. I should slow down and watch my spelling true. My grammar is something that will triple my posting time if I have to constantly correct it. (improper grammar on that last sentace see?)

These are things that many here have to work on. No worries there. Just make your mistakes in normal sized font.

Also, I'm finding out more about him.

It turns out that he was only a computer 'technician' with computers. He lived in an aparment building, and his wife spent most of her time in school.

He improperly claimed refugee status.

I want to chat with my Syrian friend and record the conversation and you'll see what people in his community think about him.

More stuff I'm learnign about Arar:

"In August of 2001, truck driver Ahmad Abou El-Maati is stopped at the U.S.-Canada border. Guards find in his 18 wheeler "a schematic map of Ottawa marking government buildings and nuclear research facilities." He is interrogated for eight hours, and denies owning the map--but he later showed it to a friend:

“He showed me the map. And the map had literally all kinds of government installations,”

((Globe and Mail, 1/16/04)

"Connection to Maher Arar:

a. Arar has said through a spokeswoman that he "once bumped into Mr. El-Maati in a mechanic's garage in Ottawa. (Source: Globe and Mail, 12/31/03)."

As for all of this, you're attempting to re-invent the wheel. It's all good to piece together bits and pieces of (at best) circumstantial evidence. The fact is, after an extensive investigation a whole inquiry found no evidence of Mr. Arar being a threat to Canada. One person sitting at his computer is not going to uncover something that all of these investigators missed. Statements like "he lived in an apartment building" are irrelevant and statements like "he improperly claimed refugee status" go against all common sense. Where is your source? How was it improperly claimed? Why has the government not done something about this when 1) they began investigating him before he was detained in the US and sent to Syria, 2) when he came back and demanded an inquiry, etc.?

If you want to debate what compensation he should receive, if any, then let's do that. But this blame the victim routine just won't fly. It's grasping at straws for an argument that does not exist. It's also insulting to all Canadians - our society has moved beyond blaming the victim when all the facts point to no wrongdoing on his behalf.

[Figleaf]

(Source: CTV transcript, 10/24/03.

Available where?

He improperly claimed refugee status.

??

He used the wrong form?

[Saturn]

Shortly after Maher Arar was returned to Canada but before he spoke to the press, Canadian officials told CTV News that:

while in custody in Syria for almost a year, Canadian Maher Arar provided information to the Syrians about al Qaeda cells operating in Canada.

They say Arar also provided information about the Muslim Brotherhood, a radical Islamic group linked to Osama bin Laden, and information about four other Canadians: Arwad al-Bushi, a Syrian-born Canadian being held in a Syrian jail; Abdullah al Malki, another Syrian-born Canadian being held in Syria; Ahmad Abou-el-Maati, an Eyptian Canadian in custody in Egypt; and Mohamed Harkat, born in Algeria, who is being held under an anti-terrorism security certificate at the Ottawa Detention Centre....

Sources told CTV News the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has received the transcripts of the Syrian interrogation of Arar. (Source: CTV transcript, 10/24/03.

Exactly, the RCMP knew fully well where he was and that he was tortured to get these "confessions". That's why the RCMP is in deep shit for lying all along that they didn't know a thing. One the RCMP knew they had made a mistake, they manufactured and "leaked" false information to CTV, the Ottawa Citizen, and a whole bunch of other news agencies.

[madmax]

[

Liberal Red, is it?

Nice drive-by there.

Look, is this ...

Tory blue?

Where did you find that picture. Is this a real church or someone having fun with us? On the surface that picture looks a little disturbing.

[jbg]

I know the story now and it's almost a farse.. it's a political game of wealth and politics in one.

We need to get our country back on track and get him and his family OUT!

Can Blackdog, Higgly, Figleaf, et. al. answer what people like Arar do for Canada? Why would we want the likes of him moving here?

[blueblood]

I know the story now and it's almost a farse.. it's a political game of wealth and politics in one.

We need to get our country back on track and get him and his family OUT!

Can Blackdog, Higgly, Figleaf, et. al. answer what people like Arar do for Canada? Why would we want the likes of him moving here?

Apparently, and I'm not too sure was that he was and his wife were very highly educated. he is an engineer I think, so it's not like he's a mindless barbarian, he's just greedy going after the 37 million.

[mikedavid00]

Apparently, and I'm not too sure was that he was and his wife were very highly educated. he is an engineer I think, so it's not like he's a mindless barbarian, he's just greedy going after the 37 million.

No. He was a 'computer technician' in Ottawa and lived in an arpatment building with his wife. His wife got a PHD yet never worked a real job until the NDP gave her a job in ottawa. Now she's teaching in Vancouver. Arar? lol.. he's not working.

[Black Dog]

Can Blackdog, Higgly, Figleaf, et. al. answer what people like Arar do for Canada? Why would we want the likes of him moving here?

You mean hard-working, motivated people willing to contribute to our society?

No. He was a 'computer technician' in Ottawa and lived in an arpatment building with his wife.

As oppossed to a yurt on the moon with your wife?

His wife got a PHD yet never worked a real job until the NDP gave her a job in ottawa

Incorrect. She worked for the University of Ottawa until 2002.

Now she's teaching in Vancouver. Arar? lol.. he's not working.

Gee, you'd think he spent a year in a Syrian jail and the time since trying to find answers or something...

[Saturn]

Apparently, and I'm not too sure was that he was and his wife were very highly educated. he is an engineer I think, so it's not like he's a mindless barbarian, he's just greedy going after the 37 million.

No. He was a 'computer technician' in Ottawa and lived in an arpatment building with his wife. His wife got a PHD yet never worked a real job until the NDP gave her a job in ottawa. Now she's teaching in Vancouver. Arar? lol.. he's not working.

You piece of ..... I'm really fed up with your lying and your racist junk! You really think that there is no limit on how much you can abuse people's patience, do you?

[mikedavid00]

You mean hard-working, motivated people willing to contribute to our society?

Don't play this game.

What has he contributed to us?

Come on. What. You aren't going to challenge me on a dollar figure on how much it costs us as tax payers to have him and his children come here spend all their time in school.

Break down the numbers and you'll see that he has NOT paid enough taxes to cover our services. His wife is even working off our tax dollars now. So are his lawyers, so does processing his marriage, so did his medical bills, so did him and his wifes' student loans.

He also had 2 kids, most likely used daycare and social assistance seing as they were NOT working.

Don't try me on this. Your insulting my intelligence and 2 others here on the board that understand just how costly this is to the tax payer.

Arar and his family have NOT contributed to our country when you compare the money tax payers have spent on him to how much his family has paid in taxes.

No. He was a 'computer technician' in Ottawa and lived in an arpatment building with his wife.

As oppossed to a yurt on the moon with your wife?

"The 33-year-old computer and telecommunications technician was detained by US immigration officials at New York’s JFK Airport in September 2002, while returning to Canada from Tunisia, where he had been visiting his wife’s family."

You will do anything to defend Arar. He will do anything to take Canada for a ride. IMMIGRANTS KNOW THIS. THAT'S WHY THEY EASILY THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING.

Incorrect. She worked for the University of Ottawa until 2002.

THE GOOD OL' SELF HATING CANADIAN.

SHE DID GRUNT WORK AT THE U LIKE A PORTION OF ALL STUDENT DO!

"Monia Mazigh - "In 2000, she started working for the University of Ottawa as a research assistant.." This is a STUDENT JOB. IT'S GARBAGE. SINCE 1991 TAX PAYERS SPENT POSSIBLY OVER $300,000 ON HER AND HER KIDS.

Gee, you'd think he spent a year in a Syrian jail and the time since trying to find answers or something...

SHE CAN FIND ANSWERS BACK HOME.

I WILL PERSONALLY PAY FOR HER TO LEAVE CANADA.

I SWEAR UPON GOD. I WILL PAY FOR HER FAMILY TO LEAVE CANADA AND GET THE HELL OUT.

[guyser]

Keep your money.

Go buy a clue on how the immigrant is needed in Canada. At the very least, the immigrant balances all the homegrown ignoramus' that inhabit this country.

[mikedavid00]

Keep your money.

Go buy a clue on how the immigrant is needed in Canada. At the very least, the immigrant balances all the homegrown ignoramus' that inhabit this country.

You know what, you're right. We need Aarar.

With all of Canada's job shortages we need him really bad. Canada hs a SKILLS SHORTAGE. WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF WHITE COLLAR WORKERS GUYS. WE DO!!! WE NEED ARAR!!

We all make $75,000 a year and need types like Arar becuase we just can't keep up WITH ALL THE SKILL WORKERS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED!

[jefferiah]

Apparently, and I'm not too sure was that he was and his wife were very highly educated. he is an engineer I think, so it's not like he's a mindless barbarian, he's just greedy going after the 37 million.

No. He was a 'computer technician' in Ottawa and lived in an arpatment building with his wife. His wife got a PHD yet never worked a real job until the NDP gave her a job in ottawa. Now she's teaching in Vancouver. Arar? lol.. he's not working.

You piece of ..... I'm really fed up with your lying and your racist junk! You really think that there is no limit on how much you can abuse people's patience, do you?

Well I dont know if Mike David is racist or not, but I dont see how you formulate that he is racist because he believes Arar is a phony. He never said all Syrians or all Muslims (not even a race, technically, mind you) were liars or greedy. He just thinks that Arar is not the big hero that people are making him out to be, and he doesnt deserve 37 million (not to mention the 400 million he was going after in the first place) from Canada, because some RCMP officers shared information with the states. Sharing information with an ally is not a 37 million dollar crime. I'm sorry. That's just the way it is. You can say it lead to him being tortured, but as we all know now, David Wilkins said they would have made the same decision with or without the RCMP (who apparently control torture cells in Syria now). Let's say it did lead to him being tortured thats a far cry from commiting the crime. Alot of innocent things can lead to big things nobody intended. Sharing information is not reckless endangerment. There has to be a reason to believe that they knew this would happen. I think you will have a very very hard time proving something like that to me. Suppose I caught a man cheating on his wife, and I tell someone I know. Pssst John Pickaboo was cheating on Sally with Candi. And this confidant reveals what he knows to Sally. Sally gets pissed and takes a gun and shoots John. John survives. Does he have a lawsuit against me?

[jefferiah]

Or lets say....John didnt cheat on Sally, but I heard a rumour that he did and I did happen to mention that rumour to someone. Gossiping is not a good thing I know. But when the rumour gets back to Sally (one that I and many others helped spread about John) does it make all of us responsible for what Sally did. Do we owe John millions? If you say we are responsible, then you are daming yourselves because you make just as many glib posts about what the RCMP knows or knew and you spread stuff just as fluently and easily about Harper and others. I think the RCMP were really suspicious of Arar. I dont think they were being racist.

[mikedavid00]

I think the RCMP were really suspicious of Arar. I dont think they were being racist.

That's why they were following him.

I agree with all your comments. It's nice to hear from someone with basic logic and a basic sense between right and wrong.

[jefferiah]

And then there is the 37 million. How do we arrive at this amount? Once again not to mention the 400 million he was suing for in the first place. Has he suffered 37 million dollars worth of medical damage? No one has seen any signs of this. Perhaps psychological. OK granted. So the man needs retribution. Hmm... Well who will pay the 37 million? The whole racist conspiracy people believe that existed within the RCMP on this matter? The torturers themselves? No. You all know who pays. And Arar knows this as well. He is just after as much money as he can get. That's it. The man wants money. It has nothing to do with what he suffered.

[blueblood]

And then there is the 37 million. How do we arrive at this amount? Once again not to mention the 400 million he was suing for in the first place. Has he suffered 37 million dollars worth of medical damage? No one has seen any signs of this. Perhaps psychological. OK granted. So the man needs retribution. Hmm... Well who will pay the 37 million? The whole racist conspiracy people believe that existed within the RCMP on this matter? The torturers themselves? No. You all know who pays. And Arar knows this as well. He is just after as much money as he can get. That's it. The man wants money. It has nothing to do with what he suffered.

Pope John Paul II got shot and forgave the guy. It's not like we stole 37 million of his money, I don't think we can put a price on "torture", it's not like it's gonna erase the torture, what's done is done. To make the whole country pay for what happened to him is petty.

[mikedavid00]

Pope John Paul II got shot and forgave the guy. It's not like we stole 37 million of his money, I don't think we can put a price on "torture", it's not like it's gonna erase the torture, what's done is done. To make the whole country pay for what happened to him is petty.

I wonder how many women and children have been victim of a sexual predator due to the gov't making wrong descisions.

Think about it.

[Black Dog]

Come on. What. You aren't going to challenge me on a dollar figure on how much it costs us as tax payers to have him and his children come here spend all their time in school.

His children were born here, which makes them Canadian. As for your sneer at education, would you rather he collected welfare? What the fuck kind of idiot gets huffy at someone for getting an education?

Break down the numbers and you'll see that he has NOT paid enough taxes to cover our services. His wife is even working off our tax dollars now. So are his lawyers, so does processing his marriage, so did his medical bills, so did him and his wifes' student loans.

And how about you, champ? Never had a student loan? Never used any state services? Give me a break.

Don't try me on this. Your insulting my intelligence and 2 others here on the board that understand just how costly this is to the tax payer.

Perhaps shipping law-abiding citizens off to get the shit kicked out of them in some craphole should cost us money. That way, it will discourage "us" from doing it.

As for insulting your intelligence...naw, forget it. Too easy.

"The 33-year-old computer and telecommunications technician was detained by US immigration officials at New York’s JFK Airport in September 2002, while returning to Canada from Tunisia, where he had been visiting his wife’s family."

You will do anything to defend Arar. He will do anything to take Canada for a ride. IMMIGRANTS KNOW THIS. THAT'S WHY THEY EASILY THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING.

Dude, just stop. You're shitting on this guy based on the fact that he -shock!- went to school and -gasp!- lived in an apartment. An dthen, despite not even knowing Maher Arar from a hole in the ground less than a week ago, you feel qualified to speculate as to how much he's put in and impugning his motives for suing the government. IOW, you look like a goddamn fool.

THE GOOD OL' SELF HATING CANADIAN.

SHE DID GRUNT WORK AT THE U LIKE A PORTION OF ALL STUDENT DO!

It may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but your loud fonts and allcaps do little to conceal your crap-tacular arguments.

I WILL PERSONALLY PAY FOR HER TO LEAVE CANADA.

I SWEAR UPON GOD. I WILL PAY FOR HER FAMILY TO LEAVE CANADA AND GET THE HELL OUT.

This has got to be a first here at MLW, folks. I've never seen someone actually lose their mind on the internet before.

We all make $75,000 a year and need types like Arar becuase we just can't keep up WITH ALL THE SKILL WORKERS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED!

Oh, I get it now. You're jealous!

Pope John Paul II got shot and forgave the guy. It's not like we stole 37 million of his money, I don't think we can put a price on "torture", it's not like it's gonna erase the torture, what's done is done. To make the whole country pay for what happened to him is petty.

Easy to say when you haven't, y'know, been tortured because of your government.

[blueblood]

Easy to say when you haven't, y'know, been tortured because of your government

Just as easy to say when your not the one paying the entire bill, your only contributing a dollar, as am I. Personally I'd rather look like a hero and not a treasure hunter but thats me, to each his own. Did the Jews that suffered a lot worse (in my opinion) during the holocaust get 37 million apiece from the German government, by your logic they're entitled to it.

If he believes he should sue someone, he should sue the Syrian gov't for 37 million dollars, they are the ones that did it after all, and the government of Canada for it's part in it be his attorney and use whatever means necessary to pull it off. The people of Canada had no part in this.

[Saturn]

The whole country isn't paying for it. What's petty or much worse than petty is when our own security agencies, to whom we give billions of our hard earned tax dollars and who are supposed to protect us, conspire against Canadians, send Canadians off to be tortured thus breaking Canadian law, and engage in fraud and defamation. I haven't seen any of you say anything about that. I haven't seen you saying anything about Zaccardelli lying in the House and then walking away with nice fat severance pay for it. Instead, you are after the victims of this appalling abuse of authority and criminal behaviour. And you know what? I have far more respect for Arar for having the guts to expose it and for going through a very difficult and unnerving process than for any of your racist (that's what it really comes down to) mumbling. In his place, you most likely would have crawled into a hole and you would have let the abuse continue.

[mikedavid00]

What's petty or much worse than petty is when our own security agencies, to whom we give billions of our hard earned tax dollars and who are supposed to protect us,

That's what they did, try to protect us.

What your failing to understand:

Arar not Canadian.

Arar not us.

[blueblood]

The whole country isn't paying for it. What's petty or much worse than petty is when our own security agencies, to whom we give billions of our hard earned tax dollars and who are supposed to protect us, conspire against Canadians, send Canadians off to be tortured thus breaking Canadian law, and engage in fraud and defamation. I haven't seen any of you say anything about that. I haven't seen you saying anything about Zaccardelli lying in the House and then walking away with nice fat severance pay for it. Instead, you are after the victims of this appalling abuse of authority and criminal behaviour. And you know what? I have far more respect for Arar for having the guts to expose it and for going through a very difficult and unnerving process than for any of your racist (that's what it really comes down to) mumbling. In his place, you most likely would have crawled into a hole and you would have let the abuse continue.

It's crap that the RCMP did that, they have a huge black eye and their comissioner got canned. Zaccardeli shouldn't have gotten severance pay, in fact it should have been a dishonorable discharge. That is all Canada should have done. I'm sorry i believe that suing people who didn't steal your money is the ultimate form of cowardice, greed, and selfishness.

When a victim is making the taxpayers of Canada victim, that's where I have a problem with it. In all fairness the guy could have been a white guy from the next town over, and i'd still be mad at him for pulling that. Bravo to Arar for red flagging an injustice. I know you like to stereotype people that don't agree with you on these sort of things as racist, but it's not going to work.

If your going to sue somebody sue the people who actually abused you. Why isn't Arar slamming the Syrian gov't over it's human rights abuses? Why isn't the Canadian gov't making Syria foot the bill? Punish the right people for the crime, the RCMP have been punished (somewhat) why not the torturers themselves?

[Saturn]

Easy to say when you haven't, y'know, been tortured because of your government

Just as easy to say when your not the one paying the entire bill, your only contributing a dollar, as am I. Personally I'd rather look like a hero and not a treasure hunter but thats me, to each his own. Did the Jews that suffered a lot worse (in my opinion) during the holocaust get 37 million apiece from the German government, by your logic they're entitled to it.

If he believes he should sue someone, he should sue the Syrian gov't for 37 million dollars, they are the ones that did it after all, and the government of Canada for it's part in it be his attorney and use whatever means necessary to pull it off. The people of Canada had no part in this.

Fine, let the Canadian government abuse its citizens because otherwise it may cost you a dollar.

Jews didn't get $37 M each (that kind of money doesn't exist on this planet) but the German government has paid out $7 billion since 2000 in compensation. If Lieback got $2.7 M for a coffee burn, I figure that $37 M for almost a year of torture in prison isn't all that much.

[blueblood]

Easy to say when you haven't, y'know, been tortured because of your government

Just as easy to say when your not the one paying the entire bill, your only contributing a dollar, as am I. Personally I'd rather look like a hero and not a treasure hunter but thats me, to each his own. Did the Jews that suffered a lot worse (in my opinion) during the holocaust get 37 million apiece from the German government, by your logic they're entitled to it.

If he believes he should sue someone, he should sue the Syrian gov't for 37 million dollars, they are the ones that did it after all, and the government of Canada for it's part in it be his attorney and use whatever means necessary to pull it off. The people of Canada had no part in this.

Fine, let the Canadian government abuse its citizens because otherwise it may cost you a dollar.

Jews didn't get $37 M each (that kind of money doesn't exist on this planet) but the German government has paid out $7 billion since 2000 in compensation. If Lieback got $2.7 M for a coffee burn, I figure that $37 M for almost a year of torture in prison isn't all that much.

The gov't of Canada didn't abuse Mr. Arar, the Syrian gov't did, is it all right for them to get off the hook, but it's all our fault even though it was 1000's of miles away where he was abused. The RCMP has a blackeye from which it may never recover, but he's entitled to 37 million of our tax dollars. If he's entitled to dollars, it should be Syrian dollars, not ours. Harper should be at the UN blasting the Syrians over this, he blasted the Chinese about it, why not the Syrians?

The natives at residential school were tortured too, do they get 37 million. No. What makes Mr. Arar so high and mighty that he should get all this money while other victims of torture don't? Torture is torture is it not? The double standard here is amazing. If Lieback gets 2.7 M for a coffee burn that judge should be disbarred immediately. It's that sort of greed is what the root of all our problems are.