For more than four years, Moroccan-born Montrealer Adil Charkaoui has lived in a Kafkaesque state of limbo. Accused of being an al-Qaeda sleeper agent, he was arrested under a security certificate in May 2003, and spent almost two years in detention before being released under strict conditions. Unable to challenge the secret evidence against him, he continues to live under virtual house arrest and a cloud of suspicion.
Charkaoui’s supporters are asking the public to demonstrate their solidarity by showing up at Federal Court next week as he challenges the restrictions of his release, as well as the leak of secret information from CSIS.
“He’s going to be asking that the conditions against him be dropped entirely,” says Mary Foster of the Coalition Justice for Adil Charkaoui, noting that in February, the Supreme Court handed down a suspended judgment deeming security certificates unconstitutional.
Proceedings begin at the Federal Court (30 McGill St.), on Wednesday, August 22, at 9:30 a.m. and continue until Aug. 24. Organizers ask anyone who wishes to attend e-mail justiceforadil@riseup.net to be informed of changes to the court’s schedule. For more info see www.adilinfo.org.
by Christopher Hazou
