(05/14/10) -

Almost Half of Canadians OK Khadr’s Gitmo Trial

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – More people in Canada believe Omar Khadr should face trial by military commission in Guantanamo Bay, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 46 per cent of respondents agree with this course of action, up six points since February.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – More people in Canada believe Omar Khadr should face trial by military commission in Guantanamo Bay, according to a poll by Angus Reid Public Opinion. 46 per cent of respondents agree with this course of action, up six points since February.

Omar Khadr—a Canadian born in Toronto and the son of al-Qaeda fighter Ahmed Said Khadr—was detained by the United States military in Afghanistan in July 2002, after allegedly throwing a grenade that killed a special forces medic. Omar Khadr was 15 at the time. He was transferred to the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in October 2002.

In June 2007, U.S. military judge Peter Brownback dismissed the charges of murder and terrorism against Omar Khadr, claiming he was authorized to try "unlawful enemy combatants" exclusively. An earlier review had deemed Omar Khadr was an "enemy combatant." However, the case against Omar Khadr was reopened in September 2007, when the new Court of Military Commission Review ruled that Brownback’s decision was in error.

In April 2008, William Kuebler—Khadr’s military lawyer—argued during a pre-trial hearing that the deadly grenade may have been thrown by an American soldier. In July, a report revealed that Canadian officials were aware of the harsh treatment that Khadr was subjected to in Guantanamo. According to the document, the U.S. military "deprived" Khadr of sleep for weeks in order to make him "more amenable and willing to talk."

In 2009, two Canadian courts called for Khadr’s repatriation. The Canadian federal government challenged their decision before the Supreme Court of Canada. In January 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government cannot be forced to repatriate Khadr, but found that Canada and the U.S. have violated his right to life, liberty and security under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Last month, lawyer Barry Coburn said that Khadr may have made self-incriminating statements after being mistreated at the detention facility, adding, "Every time I see Omar he is shackled to the floor."

Yesterday in Guantanamo, military judge Patrick Parrish issued an order which calls for Khadr’s trial to start on Aug. 10.

Polling Data

As you may know, Canadian citizen Omar Khadr has spent more than seven years in the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, charged with throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier in a July 2002 firefight in Afghanistan. Khadr, the son of al-Qaeda fighter Ahmed Said Khadr, was 15 when the alleged incident took place. Which of these policy options would you prefer in this case?

Complete Poll (PDF)