R.C.M.P. Boss Issues Apology But No Resignation Over Man’s Torture

The Canadian citizen was tortured in Syria after being sent there based on false information supplied by the Mounties. He’s now heard R.C.M.P. Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli issue him a formal apology over his agency’s role in the incident.

It came as Zaccardelli testified before a Commons Committee on the issue.

“Mr. Arar, I wish to take this opportunity to express publicly to you and to your wife and to your children how truly sorry I am for whatever part the actions of the R.C.M.P. may have contributed to the terrible injustices that you experienced and the pain that you and your family endured.

“I know that an apology can never give back to Mr. Arar what was taken from him, but what we can do is move forward with changes and reform. And that means, in very concrete terms, identifying and acknowledging errors that were made, implementing whatever change is required to address them, and by recommitting ourselves to the very heart of our purpose to do our best to serve and protect all Canadians and our country.”

But the head Mountie refused to resign over the mistake, despite mounting pressure calling on him to step down.

The story began in 2002, when Arar was stopped at JFK Airport in New York and accused of being a terrorist. He vigorously denied the charges and when U.S. officials refused to allow him into the country, he demanded to go back to Canada.

But the Americans sent him to Syria instead, where he endured repeated torture in an attempt to get him to admit his involvement with al-Qaida.

In a scathing report issued last week, Mr. Justice Dennis O’Connor found that the U.S. based some of its decisions on information provided by the R.C.M.P., which violated its own policies about sharing information and exaggerated Arar’s involvement in an investigation surrounding another terror suspect.

Despite those errors, Zaccardelli contends there’s no reason he should resign.

“I’ve looked very clearly at the actions of the members involved in this very difficult and complex investigation,” he explains. “I believe the analyses of that, in my respectful opinion, do not call for me to step down.”

He vows the mistakes will be analyzed and never repeated and insists he wasn’t aware of the case until after Arar was already in Syria. He claims his office regularly investigates thousands of people and he can’t be expected to know the exact details of every one of them.

But some believe that’s proof the chief Mountie should go. “In my opinion, Zaccardelli should resign,” fumes Liberal MP Mark Holland.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day begs to differ.   “They all have our confidence,” he assures.

The N.D.P. is angry that the R.C.M.P. is being allowed to conduct an internal probe into what happened in this notorious case.

“We would ask the investigation on the leaks be taken away from the R.C.M.P. to conduct a thorough investigation,” demands Joe Comartin.

Arar’s lawyer is upset he never heard any pledge from the Commissioner to discipline those who bear the blame. “ There are many who need to be held accountable,” insists Lorne Waldman. “There was no timeline that we heard about.” 

Either way, the Mounties haven’t heard the end of the Arar case – the victim has filed a multimillion-dollar compensation lawsuit as the result of his experience.

Arar claims he’s happy with the apology – for now.