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Jamal Akkal, terrorism, Canada

Revoke citizenship from convicted terrorists

By Klaus Rohrich

Monday, September 3, 2007

Jamal Akkal, a naturalized Canadian citizen of Palestinian origin has been released from an Israeli prison, where he served a four-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges of terrorism. This in itself isn't particularly noteworthy. What is noteworthy though is that Akkal has now returned to Windsor where he plans to take up residence.

According to Israeli intelligence sources, Akkal took up weapons training in 2003 in anticipation of returning to Canada to take action against Jews and visiting Israeli diplomats.

While in opposition, Conservative public safety critic Peter McKay urged the Liberal government of Paul Martin to revoke the citizenship of Fateh Kamel, an Algeria-born Canadian citizen who served time in a French prison, following his conviction of terrorism. Given that the circumstances of Mr. Akkal's case are similar to that of Mr. Kamel, should the Conservative government take action to revoke Akkal's citizenship? After all, what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Yet the current public safety minister, Stockwell Day, doesn't appear overly interested in pursuing this plan of action. Mr. Day was quoted in the National Post Friday as saying that the annulment of one's citizenship is a "serious issue", given that at any one time there are "several thousand" Canadians worldwide that have been convicted of crimes in other countries who return to Canada after serving their sentences.

Be that as it may, terrorism is a particularly heinous crime and those convicted of participating or conspiring to participate in terrorist acts should have their citizenship yanked at warp speed. After all, the government of Canada has no problem revoking the citizenship of old German or Ukrainian men who are accused of committing war crimes during World War II, sometimes on the flimsiest evidence.

If the Conservative government of Stephen Harper were really as principled as they would like Canadians to believe, then they would force the issue in Parliament, putting Stephane Dion and Jack Layton into the unenviable position of voting for the legislation, or fight the next election defending their sympathy toward convicted terrorists.

Canadian politicians are also always ready to "send a message" and this type of legislation would send a very strong message to naturalized Canadian citizens who are contemplating participation in terrorist activities. Under this legislation naturalized Canadians who commit and are convicted of crimes outside of Canada on behalf of the Tamil Tigers, Sikh secessionists, al Qaeda/Taliban sympathizers or any other terrorist group would be held responsible for their actions.

Moreover, it would be a good beginning at disabusing potential terrorists of the notion that Canada is a soft touch. It would serve to tell the world that Canada is a civilized nation that does not support the indiscriminate mayhem so commonplace today.

But then one gets the sense that the Conservatives are much more interested in remaining in power than they are in being principled or in keeping terrorists out of Canada, for that matter. Taking the position that those convicted of terrorist acts outside of Canada have no business being citizens of this country might prove to be unpopular among some of Canada's multicultural voters and could likely result in the Conservatives losing the next election.

So to all appearances, the Conservatives have thought this through and seem prepared to sacrifice what's right in favor of what's expedient.


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