LET'S PACK THE COURT! SOLIDARITY WITH ADIL CHARKAOUI THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH

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REMINDER: Come out to court on FRIDAY, 28 November, starting at 9:30am. Hearings normally last until about 4pm, with a lunch break. The hearings will take place at 30 McGill St., Metro Square Victoria, Montreal. The Coalition is calling for a strong presence in court as a show of solidarity with the Charkaouis, who have been struggling for very basic rights for five years and nine months.
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New scandal in Charkaoui case:
- After five and a half years, CSIS asks for time to gather evidence
- Judge decides: Show trial will proceed on the basis of CSIS opinions, no need for evidence

On Friday morning, the Quebec Bar Association will appear in court to argue that it should be allowed to intervene in Adil's case. The Quebec Bar Association wants to present its arguments that the security certificate law remains unconstitutional (their written arguments).

During Monday's hearings, a very lively debate - some of it at high decibels - took place between Charkaoui's lawyers and the Federal Court judge.

Charkaoui's lawyers argued for a complete review of his bail conditions, before and separately from public hearings on the security certificate. His lawyers had requested this review in April 2008, arguing that his detention is illegal because C-3 itself is unconstitutional. They also argued that the public hearings on the certificate should not take place before the government hands over evidence. On 27 October, CSIS admitted to the judge that it needed more time - six months - to gather information to support its case against Adil. Five and a half years into the case, it turns out that it is not only Adil and his lawyers who haven't been given disclosure; CSIS hasn't even given it to the judges or the Ministers who signed the certificate in the first place! CSIS's admission came as a result of a June 2008 Supreme Court ruling that intelligence reports, and in particular summaries of alleged interviews, were definitely not a sufficient basis for the security certificate process; CSIS would have to back up its opinions with actual evidence (photos, recordings, notes, etc.).

Adil's lawyers demanded to have a full and final set of all evidence available to them (ie, everything that is not withheld on grounds of national security) as well as a 'snapshot' of the entire case (including the secret parts) before they begin any public hearings on the security certificate.

Astonishingly, on Wednesday, the judge ruled that the public hearings on the certificate must proceed on Monday, 8 December, before the missing evidence is handed over either to the judge or Adil, let alone the other information Adil would need to know the case against him. She also said that two days of secret hearings would take place on 3 and 4 December, which could lead to a new summary of information being released on the Friday before the show trial. This could well lead to the kinds of sensationalist headlines which we saw in February 2008, when the Federal Court posted CSIS's unproven allegations on their website. This would create a huge prejudice against Adil just before he heads into an already astonishingly unjust process - a show trial, which is the public face of a secret process to determine whether Adil will be deported to face torture.

!!!!!OTHER WAYS OF SHOWING YOUR SOLIDARITY!!!!!

If you can't make it to hearings on Friday, please:

* Ask your group to join Federal Court Watch: www.adilinfo.org/en/federal-court-watch

* Participate in the cross-Canada day of Action against secret rendition hearings on Wednesday, 10 December:

• In Montreal: Theatrical Action at NOON outside the Federal Court (30 McGill St., Square Victoria metro) on Wednesday, 10 December.
• Outside Montreal: contact tasc@web.ca (english) or justiceforadil@riseup.net (french).