LawIsCool: Jeff, we have considerable reason to be skeptical about the accuracy of information gathered by such agencies due to other recent operations such as Project Threadbare, where 100% of those arrested were released without charges. Their lives were still ruined despite their innocence. Many Canadians were similarly convinced of Maher Arar’s guilt until he was vindicated.
In part, this is why the RCMP is currently being overhauled.
We agree that definitively nothing can be stated until the case is resolved. However, when the informant, one of only two, suggests that the majority of the accused may be innocent as well, there is reason for suspicion. Even more alarming is that this informant probably made similar claims during preliminaries, prompting the Crown to go directly to trial.
The rule of law should apply equally to all. In many of these cases we are learning that this is not necessarily the case.

What always troubled me, from when I woke up and watched the footage of the arrests that day, was the extent to which it was designed to be a spectacle. It seemed so very obvious that the number of police involved, the heavy weaponry, the helicopters… all of it was completely out of proportion. It was designed to make for spectacular news footage.

A couple of weeks ago I was given a brief tour of the “ceremonial courtroom” that has been completely redesigned to hear the case of these alleged terrorists. Again, it’s designed with the media in mind. The courtroom is massive, with extensive seating and a special media gallery looking down. The accused will be sitting in a large glass box. Again: all spectacle.

I have no idea whether these men are guilty or innocent. But that’s the point, isn’t it? The media and the politicians have already rendered a verdict. This case is, and always has been, heavily exploited for political reasons.

Quite frankly it degrades our justice system. Whether or not the men are ultimately found to be guilty, the way that our government has used this case is a page right out of the Bush administration’s book. Is that really the path we want to go down?

LawIsCool: Excellent questions Lawrence. The experts would suggest that this is exactly the opposite approach needed to deal with this challenge. Look for a post on the subject within the next week.