Omar Khadr Granted Bail

[drummer4now]

EDMONTON—A relaxed and articulate Omar Khadr thanked the Canadian public, apologized for any pain he had caused, and asked on his first night of freedom that he be given a chance to prove himself.

The 28-year-old said he was still “in a bit of shock” about his release Thursday.

“Freedom is way better than I thought.”

When asked if he had any comment for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose government has fought to keep Khadr detained, he replied: “I’m going to have to disappoint him. I’m not the person he thinks I am.”

Khadr made his statements to the press outside the home of his lawyer Dennis Edney, where he will live while on bail.

A few neighbours who had come to watch his press conference shouted, “welcome,” as he spoke.

VIEW 2 PHOTOS

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JASON FRANSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Omar Khadr, left, his lawyer Dennis Edney, right, and Edney's wife Patricia Edney come out of their Edmonton home to speak to media. Khadr will stay with the Edneys as pat of his bail conditions.

Khadr also thanked Edney and lawyer Nathan Whitling, who have represented Khadr since 2003, despite the financial and personal cost. This was the day they had waited for — a day that began 12 hours earlier at Edney and his wife Patricia’s home in an affluent Edmonton suburb.

Once more, they prepared Khadr’s room, hoping they would bring Khadr home but also expecting to return alone.

Indeed, just two days ago their hopes had been crushed when the court decided to keep Khadr in prison for 48 hours while Justice Myra Bielby carefully considered Khadr’s bail options.

“I have no idea what to expect,” Edney said before entering the courthouse.

MICHELLE SHEPHARD/TORONTO STAR

After being freed on bail in Edmonton on Thursday, Omar Khadr enjoyed lunch with his lawyer Dennis Edney.

As Bielby read her ruling it was still uncertain which way she would rule on the historic case. But as she neared the end, she said the federal government’s argument about causing “irreparable harm” to diplomatic relations if Khadr was released was “mere speculation.”

Whitling glanced at Khadr and gave him a thumbs up. Bielby then paused before saying: “Mr. Khadr, you’re free to go.”

With those words, Bielby turned down the federal government’s last-ditch effort to keep Khadr detained. Khadr’s supporters in the courtroom erupted in cheers.

Khadr said nothing but a wide smile spread across his face. He shook Edney’s hand. “We’ve done it,” Edney told him as Patricia broke down in tears.

Whitling, the first to appear outside court, told reporters: “Whatever anybody might think of Mr. Khadr, he has now served his time.”

Bielby noted in her ruling that Khadr had served 12 years for a crime he allegedly committed as a young offender. In Canada, the maximum sentence for youths is six years.

Ottawa’s condemnation of Khadr’s release was swift.

TANYA TALAGA/TORONTO STAR

Lawyer Dennis Edney, left, and his client Omar Khadr, share a laugh before the national news media on Thursday, the first day of Khadr's release from prison in 12 years.

“We are disappointed by the decision of the court because we feel that victims should be considered in the decisions,” Public Safety Minster Steven Blaney said at a press conference.

Blaney said legal procedures against Khadr are “still underway,” although Ottawa cannot appeal this loss to the Supreme Court of Canada.

In an earlier statement, he had said: “Omar Khadr pleaded guilty to heinous crimes, including the murder of American army medic Sgt. Christopher Speer. By his own admission, as reported in the media, his ideology has not changed.”

It was not clear what Blaney was referring to — a report released this week by a federal government psychologist said the contrary.

In his address to reporters, Edney blasted the minister.

TANYA TALAGA/TORONTO STAR

Omar Khadr, 28, glances over to the media cameras camped out at his new home in an affluenct Edmonton suburb, before he gave a statement to Canadians.

“Well, let me say to these guys: why don’t they get a camera and sit with me and challenge me and show me just how stupid I am. Show me and prove to the Canadian public that whatever I have said about Omar Khadr is not true,” Edney said.

“We had a young boy at 15 dropped into an abandoned house by his father and we give him no mercy. I would love to take Mr. Blaney on and perhaps he could learn some information.”

Edney noted that Canada was the only Western government to not request the repatriation of its citizens from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“We left a child, a Canadian child, to suffer torture. We participated in this torture,” he said.

Then Edney turned his sights on Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/05/07/omar-khadr-.html

Not sure how I feel about this tbh..

On one hand he is a convicted and alleged terrorist.. but on the other hand he was only 15 years old.

Then you have the fact he was tortured at a young age at Gitmo.. and has suffered subsequent trauma ever since...

My biggest fear is if he does do something bad (God forbid) down the road the consequences it might have on the Muslim community particularly in Canada..

I know that the Harper Govt. is pretty pissed off about this...

Not really been a good week for them lol. First the whole Iraq propaganda video that apparently risks the safety of Cdn soldiers, NDP winning in Alberta, and now this.

[desiboynux4lifee*******]

Building blocks, building blocks

[inane]

Good.

[Xbox]

edit: nvm

[Fox Mulder]

I think it's good that he's out. He was 15 at the time. Hardly the age where you could say he can't change. I believe him when he says he admitted his guilt just to placate the Americans. He's served his time and he should be free. F*** Harper.

[Mathew Barzal]

I dunno. Childhood trauma's aren't easily relieved. He might mean what he says, but it might not take much for him to flip the switch.

It would be inhumane to not give him that chance though. I hope he truly does make the best of it.

Good luck to him.

[Bob.Loblaw]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/05/07/omar-khadr-.html

Not sure how I feel about this tbh..

On one hand he is a convicted and alleged terrorist.. but on the other hand he was only 15 years old.

Then you have the fact he was tortured at a young age at Gitmo.. and has suffered subsequent trauma ever since...

My biggest fear is if he does do something bad (God forbid) down the road the consequences it might have on the Muslim community particularly in Canada..

I know that the Harper Govt. is pretty pissed off about this...

Not really been a good week for them lol. First the whole Iraq propaganda video that apparently risks the safety of Cdn soldiers, NDP winning in Alberta, and now this.

It's okay. With bill c-51 they can probably send spies right out in the open and have them watch right outside his window. See if he does anything then!

Oh, Canada...

[Bill Sikes]

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/05/07/omar-khadr-.html

Not sure how I feel about this tbh..

On one hand he is a convicted and alleged terrorist.. but on the other hand he was only 15 years old.

Then you have the fact he was tortured at a young age at Gitmo.. and has suffered subsequent trauma ever since...

My biggest fear is if he does do something bad (God forbid) down the road the consequences it might have on the Muslim community particularly in Canada..

I know that the Harper Govt. is pretty pissed off about this...

Not really been a good week for them lol. First the whole Iraq propaganda video that apparently risks the safety of Cdn soldiers, NDP winning in Alberta, and now this.

No concern for the victims of anything he does? I don't like this development considering his family are open supporters of the Taliban. I don't trust him, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Armada]

I'll trust him and give him a second chance.

[Warhippy]

Sorry. But I am having a hard time with this and understanding why harper is so against this guy walking free.

Facts.

13 years ago he was caught in a building as a 15 year old child where insurgents had been shooting at American forces. He was wounded in Afghanistan and summarily placed in Guantanamo Bay without being charged. He sat for almost a decade without formal charges being brought against him and without any evidence except a confession pulled from him while he was injured and in the care of the Americans.

Now, Harper is desperate to keep this guy in jail. But here is a fun fact. Harper is ok with a doctor in Quebec who murdered his children in the most personal way possible. And then went back to work a few months later after being found not guilty by reason of "insanity" and didn't raise a fuss at all. Harper is ok with Schoenborne in BC a man who murdered 3 children of the woman he was married to in the coldest way possible and is now about to get supervised leave from prison not 4 years later.

Why the ever loving hell is Harper NOT fighting to keep people like these two examples for crimes against the most defenseless of canadians but will do everything in his power to keep this kid in jail for possibly/possibly not actually committing an act, during war in a country neither Canadian or American?

Think on that for a few minutes. THIS is what ideology does to people. Murder your Canadian children as a grown man and admit to it. AOK, back to the general public with you.

Maybe fight back during in the middle of a war as a child...well hey you deserve to rot for life.

[Lockout Casualty]

No concern for the victims of anything he does? I don't like this development considering his family are open supporters of the Taliban. I don't trust him, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Right, let's keep a child soldier in prison for the rest of his life for the dubious crime of supposedly killing a soldier in a war zone, and subject him to even more violations of his human rights because some clowns don't like his family. That'll learn 'em.

[Hugor Hill]

Sorry. But I am having a hard time with this and understanding why harper is so against this guy walking free.

Facts.

.......

Fixed.

[taxi]

Sorry. But I am having a hard time with this and understanding why harper is so against this guy walking free.

Facts.

13 years ago he was caught in a building as a 15 year old child where insurgents had been shooting at American forces. He was wounded in Afghanistan and summarily placed in Guantanamo Bay without being charged. He sat for almost a decade without formal charges being brought against him and without any evidence except a confession pulled from him while he was injured and in the care of the Americans.

Now, Harper is desperate to keep this guy in jail. But here is a fun fact. Harper is ok with a doctor in Quebec who murdered his children in the most personal way possible. And then went back to work a few months later after being found not guilty by reason of "insanity" and didn't raise a fuss at all. Harper is ok with Schoenborne in BC a man who murdered 3 children of the woman he was married to in the coldest way possible and is now about to get supervised leave from prison not 4 years later.

Why the ever loving hell is Harper NOT fighting to keep people like these two examples for crimes against the most defenseless of canadians but will do everything in his power to keep this kid in jail for possibly/possibly not actually committing an act, during war in a country neither Canadian or American?

Think on that for a few minutes. THIS is what ideology does to people. Murder your Canadian children as a grown man and admit to it. AOK, back to the general public with you.

Maybe fight back during in the middle of a war as a child...well hey you deserve to rot for life.

There's little dispute about what he did. He's on video building bombs. That enough is to get him on the charges.

That being said, he was 15 at the time. I think he's done his time, and we should work towards integrating him into society. Although I find it worrying that he has not apologized for what he's done.

And no, we cannot hold insane people responsible for their actions.

[Hugor Hill]

No concern for the victims of anything he does? I don't like this development considering his family are open supporters of the Taliban. I don't trust him, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Every time we release an ex-criminal, we run the risk of him/her harming society again. It's part of what it means to live in a free and democratic country.

The penal system releases people everyday. This guy is no different from every other one in that sense.

[Sapper]

He killed a medic - that's a war crime.

I have no problem with him leaving Canada to join the fight - but as soon as you do you should forfiet your Canadian citizenship. He in my opinion should be deported to Afganastan at this point

[Hugor Hill]

He killed a medic - that's a war crime.

I have no problem with him leaving Canada to join the fight - but as soon as you do you should forfiet your Canadian citizenship. He in my opinion should be deported to Afganastan at this point

Non-sense. No Canadians should be going overseas to join ISIS or whatever.

[Sapper]

Non-sense. No Canadians should be going overseas to join ISIS or whatever.

I agree - But in a democracy anyone is free to leave. My point is once he joined the fight he should have been stripped of citizenship. You may have missed my sacrasm - the guy killed a medic which is a war crime - In doing so in my opinion he surendered his right to be a citizen of our country

If you read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Khadr He spent very little time in Canada and had left long before the battle. The news media makes it seem like he lived his whole life here and just flew over prior.

[thedestroyerofworlds]

This release will showcase a person's political ideology. C.R.A.P. supporters are going ape. He plead guilty. Ya, in a process that was created years after he was detained, without charge. Any other citizen cannot be subjected to criminal proceedings that are created ad hoc after they were put in jail. But with the right wings war on terror hard on, they make things up as they go. The result is Canadian citizens have/will have their rights trampled on.

[-SN-]

I agree - But in a democracy anyone is free to leave. My point is once he joined the fight he should have been stripped of citizenship. You may have missed my sacrasm - the guy killed a medic which is a war crime - In doing so in my opinion he surendered his right to be a citizen of our country

If you read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omar_Khadr He spent very little time in Canada and had left long before the battle. The news media makes it seem like he lived his whole life here and just flew over prior.

First, he was a child soldier, as identified by the UN.

Second, the fact that he threw the grenade is disputed.

Third, killing a medic is a war crime if the medic is clearly identified as a medic, and not engaged in combat. American combat medics are not easily identified as medics. Usually the only visual difference is the backpack. In addition, Speer was in Afghan garb and part of the assault team. That's a combat death, not a war crime.

He was imprisoned and tortured for 13 years, and tried in a kangaroo court, which is disgusting. He should have been placed in a child soldier rehabilitation program from the start.

[Qwags]

Nice to see a guy get a second chance at life. Others shouldn't judge your future based on past mistakes, especially if you're only 15. Harper should look at himself before even thinking about this kid.