OhMyGod Close Those Canadian Prisons Immediately!!!
Ont. investigates allegations of torture, mistreatment of accused terrorists
Tue Jun 13, 12:20 PM EST
TORONTO (CP) - Ontario Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter says he's confident 17 accused terrorists are not being tortured or mistreated while in custody.
Lawyers for several of the accused complained yesterday that confining their clients in small cells with the lights on 24 hours a day amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
They claimed the accused are awakened every half hour by guards at a provincial detention centre and are given only five minutes to eat meals, charges Kwinter flatly denies.
He says the prisoners get a half-hour to eat meals and insists no one goes in to wake them up, but admits regular patrols could disturb those he calls light sleepers.
Kwinter says the ministry will look into the accusations of mistreatment, but adds he's comfortable that guards are following normal procedures with the accused terrorists.
He admits those charged are not allowed to meet privately with their lawyers, but says that's because of a court order that they have no physical contact with anyone.
"We are satisfied that we treat all of our inmates humanely. We have protocols, and we make sure that no one is abused in any way," Kwinter said Tuesday.
"Notwithstanding that, we are certainly going to look into the allegations."
Two of the terror suspects are already serving prison sentences in Kingston, Ont., on weapons charges.
Fifteen others are housed at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex in Milton, Ont.
The 15 - including five male youth who cannot be identified - were rounded up by police June 2 in a co-ordinated sweep followed the next day by a news conference in which authorities displayed various items that they alleged were to be used in terrorist attacks.
The display included a computer, a gun, and a bag of ammonium nitrate - a commonly available fertilizer that was used to deadly ends in the Oklahoma City bombing.
Stunning allegations contained in a Crown synopsis, and shared with the media by defence lawyer outside the court last week, said that 25-year-old restaurant worker Steven Chand personally wanted to behead Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
While bail hearings for three of the suspects - who were youths when the crimes were allegedly committed and cannot be named - begin this Friday, any evidence presented will be banned from publication.