Abdellah Ouzghar is a joint citizen of Canada and Morocco, who was arrested in Canada shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, on suspicion of ties to terrorist organizations. [1] A man in Taiwan had been found to be using Ouzghar's passport, which had been doctored. [1] France charged Ouzghar with "forgery, uttering a forged document and two related conspiracy charges".
A truck driver by trade, [2] Ouzghar claims that he was initially approached at his Montreal home in 1996, and asked to work as a spy for Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), but refused on religious grounds - leading to an attempt to "set him up" by the intelligence service. CSIS admits having interviewed him at the time, but denies that they were trying to recruit him. [3] [4] CSIS claims he maintained suspicious connections to Fateh Kamel, and agent Mike Pavlovic questioned him again on September 20, 2001. [5]
John Norris, Ouzghar's lawyer, argues that even if Ouzghar was involved in forging a passport, that crime would have occurred in Canada, and should be prosecuted in Canada. [1] His extradition hearing was told how Zoheir Choulah's conviction in France showed a number of phone calls between Choulah and Ouzghar while the latter was living in Montreal. [6]
While facing extradition, Ouzghar became a computer technician. [6] During the raid on his house, a videotape was seized which was later said to "sing the praises of jihad". [7]
Justice Susan Himel, who took up responsibility for Ouzghar's case when an earlier judge bowed out due to ill-health, made a ruling on January 12, 2007, stating that "...there was insufficient evidence to show Ouzghar was a member of a terrorist group." [1]
However, the extradition battle with France continued, and in June 2009, Ouzghar was handed over to French authorities to begin his prison term for passport forgery. [8]