Canada tightens anti-terrorism law

Authorities can now detain, deport non-citizens considered national security threats

OTTAWA: Lawmakers amended Canada’s anti-terror law on Monday, a year after its top court quashed the original that allowed Ottawa to detain foreigners suspected of terror ties without charges for many years.

The new measures contained in its immigration and refugee protection act would still permit secret court hearings and indefinite incarceration.

But a special advocate would be assigned in each case to challenge Ottawa’s refusal to disclose secret evidence for reasons of national security or public safety, and to question the relevance and sufficiency of the information. Critics say the slightly modified law will still not pass constitutional muster.

Opposition MPs who backed Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s minority government to pass it before the old act expires on February 23 said it was the best they could hope for in such a timeframe.

Five men accused of terrorist links since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US are currently in jail or living under strict bail conditions, facing deportation from Canada under the security regime.

Lawyers for the three suspects asked Canada’s top court in June 2006 to review the use of so-called security certificates. They were backed by 11 civil rights groups.

Canadian lawmakers said the extraordinary measures were absolutely necessary to thwart possible terrorist attacks. But critics argued they breached civil liberties.

The nine justices of the Supreme Court sided with the appellants, but allowed Parliament one year to amend the law, as requested by government attorneys.