Mountie Wants To Share Arar Info Kept Secret For "National Security"

[snip]...Barbara McIsaac, the Justice Department's lead lawyer at the inquiry, poured cold water on the effort to lift national security claims over Supt. Cabana's testimony. "We have to find a way to work around this," she said. National security claims rest on two principles, she said: Preserving continuing police investigations, and ensuring that revelations don't put Canada's relations with other countries at risk. Likewise, commission lead counsel Paul Cavalluzzo was cool to the idea. "I think the most important point to remember is that Mr. Cabana has told his whole story in camera to Justice O'Connor," Mr. Cavalluzzo said, referring to Mr. Justice Dennis O'Connor, who is heading the inquiry. Both Ms. McIsaac and Mr. Cavalluzzo already know Supt. Cabana's full story, because they participated in closed hearings that took place during the past year. Lorne Waldman, Mr. Arar's lawyer, was not allowed to participate, as neither he nor Mr. Arar himself have the necessary security clearance. Mr. Waldman called it "very ironic" that the RCMP officer who originally investigated Mr. Arar is now joining forces with him. However, he said Mr. Arar welcomes Supt. Cabana's initiative. "The national interest in finding out what happened to [Mr. Arar] and who is responsible, is more important than national security confidentiality claims," Mr. Waldman said. Full story: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050614/ARAR14/TPNational/Canada [Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on June 14, 2005]

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