Former foreign ministry official recalls fear Abdelrazik would end up in Guantanamo

By Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press on October 30, 2024.

Abousfian Abdelrazik makes his way to Federal court in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA – A former senior official at Canada’s foreign ministry says there were fears two decades ago that Montreal man Abousfian Abdelrazik might end up at a prison for suspected terrorists in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Daniel Livermore, who was director general in the department’s security and intelligence bureau, testified in Federal Court today in Abdelrazik’s civil lawsuit against Ottawa over his detention and alleged torture in Sudan.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik became a Canadian citizen in the 1990s and was arrested during a 2003 visit to his native country to see his ailing mother.

Abdelrazik, who denies involvement in terrorism, says he was tortured during two periods of detention by the Sudanese intelligence agency.

Livermore told the court of efforts to have Abdelrazik fly home from Khartoum via Germany on commercial flights.

He recalled concerns that Abdelrazik’s journey might be interrupted due to the U.S. no-fly list and that he could wind up in an American military prison at Guantanamo Bay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2024.