OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada's Federal court on Friday eased the strict bail conditions of a Moroccan terror suspect, allowing him for the first time in six years to take his children to school unsupervised.
Adil Charkaoui also may now stay out late, look for a job, and use a computer, Internet or cell phone. But, he must continue to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, the court ruled.
Charkaoui was arrested in 2003 under security measures contained in Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that permit secret court hearings and indefinite jailing of foreigners suspected of terror ties, without charges.
He was released two years later under strict bail conditions, which the federal court has now deemed "disproportionate" to the threat he poses to Canada as an alleged Al-Qaeda sleeper agent.
"The court concludes, on the basis of the evidence presented to date, that the conditions previously imposed should be significantly modified," judge Daniele Tremblay-Lamer said in her decision.
"The case of Mr. Charkaoui has been very publicized, which obliges him to behave in an exemplary way. Similarly, if he was a sleeper agent nine years ago, it's obvious that he could no longer be such today given the massive media interest in him," she wrote.
"Moreover, he has the support of his family and his community. And it seems unlikely to me that he would risk deceiving them."
Charkaoui's mother testified her husband had to quit his job as a machinist in order to accompany Charkaoui when he "took his children to school," or went to university for courses, or elsewhere, as ordered by the court.
A school headmistress described him as an "excellent" French teacher, but lamented she could not employ him because his "troubles with the government" prevented him from being licensed to teach.
Charkaoui himself asked the federal court for lesser bail conditions, saying the original restrictions were suffocating his family.
He continues to fight extradition to Morocco, which has issued an international warrant for his arrest.
Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
