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| Trudeau argues Omar Khadr settlement was right thing to do amid backlash | Trudeau argues Omar Khadr settlement was right thing to do amid backlash |
| (7 months later) | |
| Ontario judge denies request by US soldier’s widow and injured former soldier to freeze former Guantánamo detainee’s assets ahead of hearing in the fall | |
| Reuters | |
| Thu 13 Jul 2017 21.33 BST | |
| Last modified on Fri 14 Jul 2017 17.44 BST | |
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| Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has defended the C$10.5m (US$8.24m) in a settlement paid to a Canadian man held at Guantánamo Bay for a decade, calling it the best choice in difficult circumstances. | Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has defended the C$10.5m (US$8.24m) in a settlement paid to a Canadian man held at Guantánamo Bay for a decade, calling it the best choice in difficult circumstances. |
| Trudeau said fighting a lawsuit by Omar Khadr – who was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan and sent to the US military base in Cuba – would have cost the government more money in the end but acknowledged it was not a popular thing to do. | Trudeau said fighting a lawsuit by Omar Khadr – who was 15 when he was captured in Afghanistan and sent to the US military base in Cuba – would have cost the government more money in the end but acknowledged it was not a popular thing to do. |
| “I can understand Canadians’ concerns about the settlement. In fact, I share those concerns about the money; that’s why we settled. If we had continued to fight this, not only would we have inevitably lost, but estimates range from C$30m to C$40m that it would have ended up costing the government,” Trudeau told reporters at a news conference outside parliament. | “I can understand Canadians’ concerns about the settlement. In fact, I share those concerns about the money; that’s why we settled. If we had continued to fight this, not only would we have inevitably lost, but estimates range from C$30m to C$40m that it would have ended up costing the government,” Trudeau told reporters at a news conference outside parliament. |
| Last week, Canada formally apologized to Khadr as part of a settlement of a C$20m civil suit he filed against the Canadian government, a move that reignited national debate about the case. | Last week, Canada formally apologized to Khadr as part of a settlement of a C$20m civil suit he filed against the Canadian government, a move that reignited national debate about the case. |
| An Angus Reid poll found 71% of Canadians believed Trudeau made the wrong choice in settling with Khadr and should have instead fought Khadr in court. | An Angus Reid poll found 71% of Canadians believed Trudeau made the wrong choice in settling with Khadr and should have instead fought Khadr in court. |
| Conservative opposition leader Andrew Scheer has said the payout is “disgusting” and sends a terrible message to Canada’s military members and veterans. | Conservative opposition leader Andrew Scheer has said the payout is “disgusting” and sends a terrible message to Canada’s military members and veterans. |
| But Trudeau said “we all end up paying” when governments fail to respect the rights of its people. | But Trudeau said “we all end up paying” when governments fail to respect the rights of its people. |
| “The measure of a just society is not whether we stand up for people’s rights when it’s easy or popular to do so, it’s whether we recognize rights when it’s difficult, when it’s unpopular,” he said. | “The measure of a just society is not whether we stand up for people’s rights when it’s easy or popular to do so, it’s whether we recognize rights when it’s difficult, when it’s unpopular,” he said. |
| Also on Thursday, a judge in Ontario rejected a bid by a US soldier’s widow and an injured veteran to freeze the Khadr’s assets. | Also on Thursday, a judge in Ontario rejected a bid by a US soldier’s widow and an injured veteran to freeze the Khadr’s assets. |
| Khadr was was charged with throwing the grenade that killed US army Sgt Christopher Speer in 2002, when Khadr was 15 years old. He pleaded guilty to murder but later recanted and said he was coerced into making the plea. | Khadr was was charged with throwing the grenade that killed US army Sgt Christopher Speer in 2002, when Khadr was 15 years old. He pleaded guilty to murder but later recanted and said he was coerced into making the plea. |
| The soldier’s widow, Tabitha Speer, along with retired special forces Sgt Layne Morris, who was injured in the firefight, sued Khadr in Utah. They won a $134m wrongful death judgment in 2015. Now they want an Ontario court to uphold that judgment, and sought an injunction aimed at freezing Khadr’s assets ahead of hearings later this year. | The soldier’s widow, Tabitha Speer, along with retired special forces Sgt Layne Morris, who was injured in the firefight, sued Khadr in Utah. They won a $134m wrongful death judgment in 2015. Now they want an Ontario court to uphold that judgment, and sought an injunction aimed at freezing Khadr’s assets ahead of hearings later this year. |
| But Ontario superior court judge Edward Belobaba dismissed that request. | But Ontario superior court judge Edward Belobaba dismissed that request. |
| Attorney David Winer said his clients Speer and Morris have sought an expedited hearing of the case. Khadr’s lawyer said he expected hearings to take place this fall. | Attorney David Winer said his clients Speer and Morris have sought an expedited hearing of the case. Khadr’s lawyer said he expected hearings to take place this fall. |
| “It’s unusual to be able to seize anyone’s assets or freeze anyone’s assets before obtaining a judgment,” said Khadr’s lawyer Nathan Whitling. “You have to have some pretty strong evidence to get this type of order, and they just didn’t have any evidence.” | “It’s unusual to be able to seize anyone’s assets or freeze anyone’s assets before obtaining a judgment,” said Khadr’s lawyer Nathan Whitling. “You have to have some pretty strong evidence to get this type of order, and they just didn’t have any evidence.” |
| Winer said he was not surprised that his clients were unable to obtain the injunction, and would now focus on the upcoming hearing. | Winer said he was not surprised that his clients were unable to obtain the injunction, and would now focus on the upcoming hearing. |
| “Obviously everybody knows it’s a very high test and a high standard to meet but we put our best foot forward,” he said. | “Obviously everybody knows it’s a very high test and a high standard to meet but we put our best foot forward,” he said. |
| The deal with Khadr marked the fifth time the Canadian government has settled with citizens who were detained abroad following the September 11 attacks in the US. All five contended that Canadian law enforcement and security forces were complicit in their suffering. | The deal with Khadr marked the fifth time the Canadian government has settled with citizens who were detained abroad following the September 11 attacks in the US. All five contended that Canadian law enforcement and security forces were complicit in their suffering. |
| In 2010, the Canadian supreme court said Canada had breached Khadr’s rights by sending intelligence agents to interrogate him in Guantanamo and sharing the results with the US. | In 2010, the Canadian supreme court said Canada had breached Khadr’s rights by sending intelligence agents to interrogate him in Guantanamo and sharing the results with the US. |
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