Mike Cabana
Mike Cabana is a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer who is most well-known for his role at the centre of the controversy over the extraordinary rendition of Maher Arar by American security officials.[1][2] Prior to being assigned to count-terrorism Cabana was investigated money-laundering.[3]
Role in the extraordinary rendition of Maher Arar
Arar, while returning to Canada, was arrested by American security officials, while transferring planes at a New York City airport.[1][2] Arar was held for approximately two weeks by US security officials, denied legal advice, and subjected to intensive interrogation. American security officials were not satisfied with Arar's answers, and quietly "rendered" him to Syria, the country of his birth.
Arar was held for almost a year. It is widely accepted that Syria is a torture state, and that his account of his torture is truthful.[1][2]
As the controversy over his rendition became more public American officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and Attorney General John Ashcroft claimed that American officials rendered Arar to Syria because they were told by Canadian officials that Canada didn't want him back.[1][2] This claim was greeted by widespread skepticism in Canada.
Canada has an inquiry into how Arar came to the attention of US security officials, and whether there is any truth to the American claims that Canadian officials directed the Americans to send Arar to Syria.[1][2]
Cabana has been called to testify before the inquiry several times.[1][2] Cabana's account has differed from that of a more senior colleague, Deputy Commissioner Garry Loeppky. Cabana's version is that the RCMP had been directed to cooperate more fully with American security officials, following the terrorist attacks of late 2001, going so far as to drop the assurances they would normally have extracted from the Americans that information provided to them was for background, and would not result in arrest, or harassment. Cabana's more senior colleague's version was that increased cooperation would stop short of requiring the assurances which would protect Canadians who fell into American hands.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Ottawa hampering Arar testimony: RCMP investigator, CBC News, 2005-06-13. “Supt. Mike Cabana was the head of Project AO Canada, an RCMP investigation looking into possible al-Qaeda activity.” [1]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Anti-terror probe targeted Arar colleague: RCMP, CTV Television Network, 2005-08-09. “Ottawa engineer Abdullah Almalki was the "main target" of the investigation that evidently led to the deportation and imprisonment of acquaintance Maher Arar, a senior RCMP officer confirmed Tuesday. Supt. Mike Cabana told the inquiry into Arar's case that Almalki and Toronto truck driver Ahmad Abou El-Maati also came under scrutiny following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.” mirror
- ↑ Mike Cabana. Integrated policing: towards the future, Canadian Police College, 2003-08-18. “Inspector Mike Cabana is responsible for the Ottawa Integrated Proceeds of Crime Section. He has led many integrated teams in local and international money laundering investigations.” mirror