Sole Canadian Held at Guantánamo Bay Is Repatriated

OTTAWA — Omar Khadr, the only Canadian citizen held at the Guantánamo Bay detention center, was returned to Canada early Saturday morning, the Pentagon and the Canadian government announced.

Unlike other Western countries that brought their detainees home from the prison at the naval base, the Conservative government in Canada had vigorously resisted calls and a court order to bring back Mr. Khadr, who was 15 years old in 2002 when he was captured by American forces in Afghanistan.

Vic Toews, the public safety minister, offered no explanation on Saturday for the government’s change of mind.

“Omar Khadr is a known supporter of the Al Qaeda terrorist network and a convicted terrorist,” Mr. Toews said, reading from a statement at a news conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “I am satisfied the Correctional Service of Canada can administer Omar Khadr’s sentence in a manner which recognizes the serious nature of the crimes that he has committed and ensure the safety of Canadians is protected during incarceration.”