Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08OTTAWA101
2008-01-18 17:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ottawa
Cable title:
DFAIT APOLOGIZES OVER TORTURE ALLEGATION
how-toVZCZCXRO6321 OO RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC DE RUEHOT #0101 0181701 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 181701Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7164 INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000101
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CA
SUBJECT: DFAIT APOLOGIZES OVER TORTURE ALLEGATION
Classified By: Ambassador David H. Wilkins, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 000101
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CA
SUBJECT: DFAIT APOLOGIZES OVER TORTURE ALLEGATION
Classified By: Ambassador David H. Wilkins, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David
Mulroney called Ambassador on January 18 to offer DFAIT's
"real apology" that a Canadian consular training module on
"Torture and Abuse Awareness" had included the U.S. on a list
with Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Mexico, Saudi
Arabia, and Syria, as well as Guantanamo Bay, with "possible
torture/abuse cases" and had cited "US interrogation
techniques" under a "Definition of Torture." He said that
DFAIT was "totally embarrassed" and had pulled the manual
once its existence became public. He promised that the DFAIT
leadership would make sure that this would "not happen again"
and that the manual would be totally re-written. He admitted
that DFAIT had "no excuse" for failing to maintain adequate
control over these training materials. Ambassador pressed
Mulroney for an immediate public statement disavowing the
document, at which point Mulroney promised to work on
"remedial steps" and confirmed that the manual did not
reflect official Canadian views of the United States.
Ambassador also asked to speak directly with Foreign Minister
Bernier on this issue; Mulroney promised that would happen
following an ongoing Cabinet session today.
2. (C) Comment: The offensive training module came to
light as a result of efforts by Amnesty International and
defense attorneys for Omar Khadr, now on trial in Guantanamo
Bay for terrorist activities. We take at full face value the
apologies and embarrassment of the senior DFAIT officials and
do not believe that the module is a genuine reflection of
official Canadian views, but instead stemmed from sloppy
oversight of over-zealous trainers.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2018
TAGS: PREL PHUM CA
SUBJECT: DFAIT APOLOGIZES OVER TORTURE ALLEGATION
Classified By: Ambassador David H. Wilkins, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David
Mulroney called Ambassador on January 18 to offer DFAIT's
"real apology" that a Canadian consular training module on
"Torture and Abuse Awareness" had included the U.S. on a list
with Afghanistan, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Mexico, Saudi
Arabia, and Syria, as well as Guantanamo Bay, with "possible
torture/abuse cases" and had cited "US interrogation
techniques" under a "Definition of Torture." He said that
DFAIT was "totally embarrassed" and had pulled the manual
once its existence became public. He promised that the DFAIT
leadership would make sure that this would "not happen again"
and that the manual would be totally re-written. He admitted
that DFAIT had "no excuse" for failing to maintain adequate
control over these training materials. Ambassador pressed
Mulroney for an immediate public statement disavowing the
document, at which point Mulroney promised to work on
"remedial steps" and confirmed that the manual did not
reflect official Canadian views of the United States.
Ambassador also asked to speak directly with Foreign Minister
Bernier on this issue; Mulroney promised that would happen
following an ongoing Cabinet session today.
2. (C) Comment: The offensive training module came to
light as a result of efforts by Amnesty International and
defense attorneys for Omar Khadr, now on trial in Guantanamo
Bay for terrorist activities. We take at full face value the
apologies and embarrassment of the senior DFAIT officials and
do not believe that the module is a genuine reflection of
official Canadian views, but instead stemmed from sloppy
oversight of over-zealous trainers.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS