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Spy service pushed for Abdelrazik's inclusion on Canadian no-fly list, court hears

  • Jim Bronskill

  • Canadian Press

  • December 2, 2024

<p>A former senior Canadian Security Intelligence Service official acknowledges the spy service's role in placing Abousfian Abdelrazik on Canada's no-fly list. David Vigneault prepares to appear before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs in Ottawa, on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang</p>

OTTAWA -- A former senior Canadian Security Intelligence Service official acknowledges the spy service wanted Abousfian Abdelrazik placed on Canada's no-fly list.

David Vigneault struggled to recall other details as he testified in Federal Court today in Abdelrazik's civil lawsuit against Ottawa over his detention and alleged torture in Sudan.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik became a Canadian citizen in the 1990s and was arrested during a 2003 visit to his native country to see his ailing mother.

CSIS officers travelled to Khartoum to interrogate him in October 2003 about suspected extremist links.

Abdelrazik, who denies involvement in terrorism, says he was tortured by Sudanese authorities during two periods of detention.

Vigneault was a senior CSIS official from December 2006 to June 2009, became the spy service's director in 2017 and left the service earlier this year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024.