Abdullah Almalki
Encyclopedia
Abdullah Almalki (born 1971) is a Syrian
-Canadian
engineer who was imprisoned and tortured for two years in a Syrian jail after Canadian officials falsely indicated to the Syrian authorities and other countries that he was a terrorist threat.
Almalki has since returned to Canada, where he lives with his wife and five children.
and emigrated to Canada
with his parents and three brothers in 1987 at the age of 16. He graduated from Ottawa's Lisgar Collegiate Institute
two years later, and the following year received his Canadian citizenship.
He attended Carleton University
and obtained his degree in electrical engineering, and was consistently scoring at the top of his class.
, in projects funded by the United Nations Development Programme
.
Upon returning to Canada, Almalki married Khuzaima in October 1993, who was pursuing her Ph.D. in Economics. The couple returned to Afghanistan to work with HCI. However, the organisation had brought back Ahmed Khadr as their regional director, after he recuperated from an earlier injury, and Almalki found his leadership and workaholic
tendencies to be overbearing, and left the organisation in April 1994, earlier than intended.
In 1997, Maher Arar
listed Almalki as his "emergency contact" with his landlord.
In 1998, when he returned to Canada to open an electronics
export business Dawn Services with his wife, he was questioned twice by Canadian Security Intelligence Service
agent Theresa Sullivan, who asked him to "speculate" about Khadr's possible relations to Islamic militants, whether he had ever sold nuclear material to Pakistan, or walkie-talkies to the Taliban - all of which Almalki said seemed like ridiculous claims.
In 1999, he expanded his business to take on four employees and rent office space in a business park
, while beginning to import cellphones to supplement his earnings.
In 2000, and again following the September 11, 2001 attacks
, CSIS agent Violaine Pepin spoke to him to ask about a Muslim associate with a pilot's license with whom Almalki had flown to Hong Kong
in 1999 to sell radios in the final weeks of Y2K.
After Maher Arar
had moved back to Ottawa, he had a meeting with Almalki on October 12, 2001. They met at the Mango Café, a popular shawarma
restaurant in a strip mall and talked about doctors and bought a print cartridge together. The following month, Almalki flew to Malaysia to visit his mother-in-law.
In January 2002, Almalki was one of seven targets of simultaneous search warrant
s by Project O Canada
, and faxes detailing the sale of field radio components to Mohamad Elzahabi
's brother, which were later entered as evidence by American prosecutors who had obtained it from Project O Canada.
connections. His arrest was based on information sent to the Syrians by the Canadian government.
During the time Almalki was in a Syrian jail, he was not asked anything related to Syrian interests. Most questions were about his life in Canada. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
shortly after Arar's release from Syria, Arar described encountering Almalki in prison, weak, emaciated and suffering from the effects of torture
. Almalki gave up the name of an Ottawa colleague named Arward Al-Bousha to end the torture, and al-Bousha was subsequently arrested, interrogated and gave up the name of Maher Arar
.
Almalki was released on $125 bail in March 2004 and the Syrian State Supreme Security Court acquitted him of all charges in July 2004. Almalki returned to Canada after the acquittal.
Almalki's case was taken up by many organizations in Canada, including Amnesty International
. The Canadian government has convened an inquiry into the role Canadian authorities may have had in his case. The inquiry also includes the role of Canadian officials into the cases of Ahmad Abouz-zElmaati and Muayyed Nureddin
. The Canadian government inquiry into the Arar
affair indicated that the Canadian government had sent questions to Syrian military intelligence for use in his interrogation.
According to historian Andy Worthington
, author of The Guantanamo Files, Almalki described three of his fellow captives in Syria's Palestinian Branch military prison: Omar Ghramesh, Abu Abdul Halim Dalak and a Syrian teenager who was captured during the same raid where Abu Zubaydah
was captured, who Worthington concluded was Noor al-Deen.
On June 18, 2009, the Canadian House of Parliament voted in favour of an official apology and compensation to Almalki, el-Maati and Nureddin.
Demographics of Syria
Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people. While modern-day Syrians are commonly described as Arabs by virtue of their modern-day language and bonds to Arab culture and history...
-Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
engineer who was imprisoned and tortured for two years in a Syrian jail after Canadian officials falsely indicated to the Syrian authorities and other countries that he was a terrorist threat.
Almalki has since returned to Canada, where he lives with his wife and five children.
Life
Almalki was born in SyriaSyria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and emigrated to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with his parents and three brothers in 1987 at the age of 16. He graduated from Ottawa's Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board secondary school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Lisgar Collegiate Institute, one of the country's best regarded public schools, is located in downtown Ottawa by the Rideau Canal and is only a few blocks from Canada's Parliament Hill...
two years later, and the following year received his Canadian citizenship.
He attended Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
and obtained his degree in electrical engineering, and was consistently scoring at the top of his class.
Work in Afghanistan
In 1992, Almalki sponsored an Afghan orphan through a Canadian NGO, and decided to travel to the country for three months. The following year, he returned for two months to volunteer with Human Concern InternationalHuman Concern International
Human Concern International is a Canadian, federally registered, charitable non-governmental organization working in international development and emergency relief assistance since 1980.From the HCI website:...
, in projects funded by the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
.
Upon returning to Canada, Almalki married Khuzaima in October 1993, who was pursuing her Ph.D. in Economics. The couple returned to Afghanistan to work with HCI. However, the organisation had brought back Ahmed Khadr as their regional director, after he recuperated from an earlier injury, and Almalki found his leadership and workaholic
Workaholic
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work.The term generally implies that the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it...
tendencies to be overbearing, and left the organisation in April 1994, earlier than intended.
Return to Canada
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
listed Almalki as his "emergency contact" with his landlord.
In 1998, when he returned to Canada to open an electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
export business Dawn Services with his wife, he was questioned twice by Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
agent Theresa Sullivan, who asked him to "speculate" about Khadr's possible relations to Islamic militants, whether he had ever sold nuclear material to Pakistan, or walkie-talkies to the Taliban - all of which Almalki said seemed like ridiculous claims.
In 1999, he expanded his business to take on four employees and rent office space in a business park
Business park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
, while beginning to import cellphones to supplement his earnings.
In 2000, and again following the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, CSIS agent Violaine Pepin spoke to him to ask about a Muslim associate with a pilot's license with whom Almalki had flown to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1999 to sell radios in the final weeks of Y2K.
After Maher Arar
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
had moved back to Ottawa, he had a meeting with Almalki on October 12, 2001. They met at the Mango Café, a popular shawarma
Shawarma
Shawarma is a Levantine Arab sandwich-like wrap of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats. The meat is placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day. It is eaten with pita bread, tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus,...
restaurant in a strip mall and talked about doctors and bought a print cartridge together. The following month, Almalki flew to Malaysia to visit his mother-in-law.
In January 2002, Almalki was one of seven targets of simultaneous search warrant
Search warrant
A search warrant is a court order issued by a Magistrate, judge or Supreme Court Official that authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a crime and to confiscate evidence if it is found....
s by Project O Canada
Project O Canada
Founded in 2001, Project O Canada was a Toronto-based anti-terrorism investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Created in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, subdivisions of the project named A-O Canada and C-O Canada were based in Ottawa and Montreal, RCMP Divisions A and C...
, and faxes detailing the sale of field radio components to Mohamad Elzahabi
Mohamad Elzahabi
Mohamad Kamal Elzahabi is a Lebanese national who worked as a small arms instructor at an Afghan training camp in the 1990s. During the War on Terror, he was arrested based on his past associations,and was convicted of immigration fraud.-Entry to United States:Elzahabi entered the United States in...
's brother, which were later entered as evidence by American prosecutors who had obtained it from Project O Canada.
Arrest in Syria
On May 3, 2002, Almalki arrived in Syria for the first time since he was a child, to visit his ill grandmother. Upon his arrival he was arrested on suspicion of terroristTerrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
connections. His arrest was based on information sent to the Syrians by the Canadian government.
During the time Almalki was in a Syrian jail, he was not asked anything related to Syrian interests. Most questions were about his life in Canada. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
shortly after Arar's release from Syria, Arar described encountering Almalki in prison, weak, emaciated and suffering from the effects of torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
. Almalki gave up the name of an Ottawa colleague named Arward Al-Bousha to end the torture, and al-Bousha was subsequently arrested, interrogated and gave up the name of Maher Arar
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
.
Almalki was released on $125 bail in March 2004 and the Syrian State Supreme Security Court acquitted him of all charges in July 2004. Almalki returned to Canada after the acquittal.
Almalki's case was taken up by many organizations in Canada, including Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. The Canadian government has convened an inquiry into the role Canadian authorities may have had in his case. The inquiry also includes the role of Canadian officials into the cases of Ahmad Abouz-zElmaati and Muayyed Nureddin
Muayyed Nureddin
An Iraqi-born Canadian geologist, Muayyed Nureddin was imprisoned in similar circumstances to Maher Arar in Syria. He claims to have been beaten and interrogated about his connection to a Toronto Islamic school; and has called for a public inquiry into the role of Canadian officials in his...
. The Canadian government inquiry into the Arar
Maher Arar
Maher Arar is a telecommunications engineer with dual Syrian and Canadian citizenship who resides in Canada. Arar's story is frequently referred to as "extraordinary rendition" but the U.S. government insisted it was a case of deportation.Arar was detained during a layover at John F...
affair indicated that the Canadian government had sent questions to Syrian military intelligence for use in his interrogation.
According to historian Andy Worthington
Andy Worthington
Andy Worthington is a British historian, journalist, and film director.He has published three books, and been published in numerous publications.In 2009 Worthington was the co-director of a documentary about the Guantanamo detainees....
, author of The Guantanamo Files, Almalki described three of his fellow captives in Syria's Palestinian Branch military prison: Omar Ghramesh, Abu Abdul Halim Dalak and a Syrian teenager who was captured during the same raid where Abu Zubaydah
Abu Zubaydah
Abu Zubaydah is a Saudi Arabian citizen, sentenced to death in Jordan and currently held in U.S. custody in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Not neutral: Arrested in Pakistan in March 2002, he has been in US custody for more than eight years, four-and-a-half of them spent incommunicado in solitary confinement...
was captured, who Worthington concluded was Noor al-Deen.
On June 18, 2009, the Canadian House of Parliament voted in favour of an official apology and compensation to Almalki, el-Maati and Nureddin.
External links
- http://www.abdullahalmalki.com
- Dark Days: The Story of Four Canadians Tortured in the Name of Fighting Terror
- http://www.ramzprod.com "Ghosts: A documentary about the lives and cases of Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou El Maati and Muayyed Nureddin"
- CBC: Syrian-Canadian home after 2-year ordeal
- http://www.amnesty.ca/take_action/actions/canada_foreign_detention.php
- http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41732.htm