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06/13/06 |
Suspects complain of torture
Chris Wattie, Melissa Leong and Tom Blackwell
National Post
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
BRAMPTON - Many of the 17 men accused of plotting a terrorist attack on Toronto claim they are being tortured at the provincial jail where they have been held since their arrest last weekend.
One of the accused interrupted a brief court appearance yesterday by shouting accusations at the justice of the peace hearing the case.
"They tortured us, straight up!" Yasin Mohamed, 24, said during an outburst in Brampton court, holding up both arms, which were manacled to two of the other accused. "These wounds speak for themselves."
There were no visible marks or bruises on Mr. Mohamed's arms or on any of the other 14 men who appeared in court yesterday. Two others accused in the high-profile case are scheduled to appear later this month.
A spokesman for the Maplehurst Correctional Complex, the provincial facility west of Toronto where the accused are being held, said there was no evidence any of the men had been mistreated and none had filed complaints.
Still, the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is looking into the allegations aired in court yesterday, said Julia Noonan, a ministry spokeswoman.
"Any kind of violence is not tolerated in our institutions, be it staff on inmates or inmates on each other ... and appropriate action is taken if it takes place, including contacting police," Ms. Noonan said.
Justice of the peace Keith Currie has imposed a publication ban on all evidence, court orders or reasons for those orders presented at yesterday's appearance, which set dates for future bail and other hearings for the men.
However, lawyers for the accused said outside court their clients are being subjected to what one called "cruel and unusual punishment," including being held in segregation, being roughly handled by guards, being regularly woken and not having lights in their cells turned off at night.
"Clearly leaving the light on 24 hours a day and waking them up every half hour for the last 10 days constitutes torture," said Rocco Galati, lawyer for Ahmad Mustafa Ghany.
David Kolinsky, who represents Zakaria Amara, said his client is locked in a tiny concrete cell with no windows. Food is delivered through a small slit and the lights are kept on at all times, he added.
He said the federal court has previously deemed such treatment as "cruel and unusual punishment" and claimed it is known to cause depression and suicide.
"I don't think there's any basis to keep him in solitary confinement. It's normally a form of punishment for people who misbehave and are violent towards other offenders."
Mr. Kolinsky told a crowd of reporters outside the suburban Brampton courthouse that his client has told him he was abused by a guard at the Maplehurst jail.
He said Mr. Amara was being searched by a guard when he laughed because he was ticklish. According to his client, the guard then pinned him on the ground, drilled his finger into his cheek, flicked him in the eye and said: "Is this funny?" Mr. Kolinsky said.
Mr. Amara's face is still sore and his thumbs are still numb from plastic restraints that were placed on his hands, Mr. Kolinsky added.
Defence lawyers also ,b>complained their clients are given only five minutes to eat their meals or their food is taken away, and they are forced to keep their eyes on the floor and are led around bent over at 90-degree angles by guards.
The accused are being held in segregation cells and are only allowed 20 minutes exercise a day, their lawyers said.
Arif Raza said his client Saad Khalid is not being ill-treated, but has been "collaterally damaged" by hearing the guards "screaming and shouting" at other inmates.
"You hear about in fascist countries where prisoners are deliberately tortured so that others can hear ... so the fear is instilled in the minds of the others," Mr. Raza said outside court.
"I'm quite sure that's not what is happening, but it is possible that the same impact would result on the minds of the other inmates."
Ms. Noonan said dim night lights are kept on in all cells in all of the province's jails for security reasons.
None of the inmates were woken deliberately during the night, but regular patrols through Maplehurst may have inadvertently disturbed their sleep, said the spokeswoman.
She also denied allegations that the inmates were given only five minutes to eat their food, saying the minimum is 30 minutes and they usually get more. They can also buy food from the jail canteen and eat it "at their leisure."
Ms. Noonan did confirm that some of the accused may have been moved around with their torsos leaning forward at a 90-degree angle, calling it a common method to manage high-security inmates wearing leg and arm restraints.
"Sometimes when individuals come into custody, if they've never been in custody before, they may be surprised. It's not like being at home," she said. "If individuals are dealing with severe charges, we have to deal with them accordingly."
Don Ford, a spokesman for the union that represents guards at Maplehurst, also said such high-profile prisoners are generally treated with kid gloves.
"I can't see any circumstances in this case that would lead someone to take justice into their own hands or anything of that sort.... The policy would be completely hands-off," Mr. Ford said.
He said he hopes the ministry investigates the matter promptly and thoroughly.
"We don't need this kind of a cloud hanging over our members. We don't want the public thinking we have a bunch of blood-thirsty vigilantes working at the Maplehurst Correctional Centre."
The men were led into court shackled and handcuffed together in groups of three, four or five at a time. A group of family and friends filled one corner of the courtroom and waved to some of the accused as they were led into the dock.
Police arrested the 17 men, all from the Toronto area, 10 days ago and charged them under federal anti-terrorism legislation with participating in a terrorist group, receiving training at a terrorist facility, recruiting for a terrorist organization, importing weapons and preparing a bomb.
Sources familiar with the case have told the National Post that the group was plotting to build and set off two or more powerful truck bombs in downtown Toronto and to charge into a public place firing weapons into a crowd.
The Post has learned that the group was planning to bomb the Toronto headquarters of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Toronto Stock Exchange, using three tonnes of ammonium nitrate mixed with diesel fuel.
© National Post 2006
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Where is the media? Where is the Daily Kos? Where is the UN? Call the Red Cross. I demand a full accounting of the torture of these Canadian insurgents. |
Clarification/Follow-up by Judgment_Day on 06/14/06 12:31 am:
Sorry I have not signed up as an expert, but I'm currently performing exorcisms on the trolls that have infested the Christianity board.
Suspects complain of torture
Look the sob's have three square meals and a roof over the heads. They get caught and cry wolf. It reminds me of the program "Cops." You know the one with the theme song, "Bad boys, bad boys, what you goin' to do when they come for you." Well now we know. They are told and trained to cry like babies missing mama's titty.
He said Mr. Amara was being searched by a guard when he laughed because he was ticklish. According to his client, the guard then pinned him on the ground, drilled his finger into his cheek, flicked him in the eye and said: "Is this funny?" Mr. Kolinsky said.
Amara is a punk. A scheming murderer that will feel real ticklish after his lousy rear end is strapped into the electric chair.
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