27/08/2007
By: Canadian Press
Ottawa - Documents obtained by The Canadian Press show Canada's foreign affairs minister was well briefed on what not to say about Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr.
The young Canadian citizen is being held in the U.S. military prison on allegations he threw a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier.
The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show Peter MacKay was advised to dismiss questions about whether Canada would even accept the repatriation of Khadr.
MacKay was told to dismiss the question as "premature and speculative."
The Foreign Affairs department acknowledged Khadr is believed to be the only Western national left in the prison.
Countries such as Australia, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain have secured release of their citizens.
Armed with this information, MacKay and his staff were told they might be asked what Canada was doing about Khadr's continued detention at Guantanamo Bay.
MacKay was to answer, quote, "The government of Canada has sought and received assurances that Mr. Khadr is being treated humanely."
SOURCE: 680news.com
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