OTTAWA (CP) — The chief of defence staff vigorously defends the practice of Canadian troops handing over Afghan prisoners to local authorities despite one estimate that about 30 per cent are later abused or tortured.
Gen. Rick Hillier stands behind an agreement he signed with the Afghan government last December. It obliges Canadian soldiers to turn prisoners over to local police or the army.
It's their country, Hillier said of Afghan authorities after a ceremony Saturday for about 240 new Canadian Forces recruits.
"Under their laws and their government, we hand the prisoners to them.
CP reporter Sue Bailey is based in Ottawa; colleague Bob Weber is currently embedded with Canadian troops in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1149371435506&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/NewsWell Rick, hope that you have another passport ready. (Sure Harper has cleared this.)
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
