Stranded man to fly home from Sudan Saturday

[CHIMO]

OTTAWA–A Montreal man stranded at the Canadian embassy in Sudan for more than a year is expected to fly home Saturday.

Hameed said he wants to be there to make sure things go smoothly and said he just learned Abdelrazik was visited at the embassy by a U.S. official today.

Hameed said he had few details about the visit but said Abdelrazik had just told him the U.S. representative had questioned him.

Abdelrazik will be escorted by two RCMP officers and an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs, but Hameed said the federal government had asked him to keep all other details of his flight - including whether the plane will touch down in other countries - secret.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/655804#

Perhaps some others should be on the flight. Similar to what happened in Haiti.

Wonder what Iggy or some other big guys are doing that weekend.

[CHIMO]

1. Abdelrazik headed home Saturday

After six years of imprisonment and exile in Sudan, Abousfian Abdelrazik is finally scheduled to fly home to Canada on Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Hameed said he will fly to Sudan and return with Mr. Abdelrazik, along with a Foreign Affairs department official and two RCMP officers. He said there are still concerns that he might be intercepted in transit, perhaps by the United States, which instigated the allegation that Mr. Abdelrazik has links to al-Qaeda.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/abdelrazik-headed-home-saturday/article1195472/

[CHIMO]

2. Fight for freedom is global

No one doubts that both Abdelrazik and Khadr have associations which raised concerns. But to skirt Canada’s basic legal rights because of ethnic background, possible associations and where the accusations originate puts all Canadians at risk.

As Canadians proudly put their democratic freedoms on display as examples to such nations as Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, China and North Korea, an overzealous Harper government is undermining those basic rights.

As Canadian troops fall on the battlefield to bring freedom to the oppressed people of Afghanistan, it is vital that basic human rights are promoted to their full extent in Canada. As brave and determined Iranians risk their lives to march for freedom in Tehran, Canadians should enjoy the ability to safely protest the actions of their own government.

Canadians must realize the freedoms they enjoy cannot be taken for granted.

http://bugleobserver.canadaeast.com/editorial/article/710657