Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Benamar Benatta
Thomas Walkom writes today about "Another 9/11 Victim".
The way Walkom tells the story, Benamar Benatta was victimized by our government because he was deported to the US after 9/11 and detained for five years, even though it turns out he has no ties to terrorism.
Benatta's background makes it a little clearer why he was detained for as long as he was; he threw up a tonne of red flags. Benatta came to the U.S. in 2000 while on a military training assignment for the Algerian Air Force, of which Benatta was an 8 year veteran. The U.S. assisted Algeria in military matters because the government was allied with the Algerian government against the opposition Islamic party. Benatta unfortunately, being a Muslim, didn't seem to appreciate all the years of fighting his own people.
In April 2001, while in the U.S. for training, Benatta defected from his Army, and jumped a bus from Baltimore to New York. Benatta spent the next five months in New York, where his visa expired. Sometime while in New York, Benatta decided to try to get political asylum in Canada, and purchased faked identification.
On September 5, 2001, Benatta showed up at the Canadian border seeking asylum - but using his fake papers. He was detained at the border until an investigation could confirm his real identity.
On September 12, 2001, some unknown Canadian immigration official decided it was best to deport Benatta back to the U.S. based on the following evidence:
Of course, the most damaging circumstantial evidence came on September 11, when 19 Muslims of middle-eastern descent, who had received flight training in the United States, crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth was suspected to have been targeting the White House.
Benatta's story is tragic for sure. But it's not Canada's job to protect every single foreigner who shows up at our border, especially when they're trying to lie their way into our country.
Ironically, since Benatta was released by the U.S. Canada has granted him temporary resident status to pursue his status as a refugee. Which are hardly the actions of an irrational racist government. Benatta was a victim of circumstance, nothing more.
The way Walkom tells the story, Benamar Benatta was victimized by our government because he was deported to the US after 9/11 and detained for five years, even though it turns out he has no ties to terrorism.
Benatta's background makes it a little clearer why he was detained for as long as he was; he threw up a tonne of red flags. Benatta came to the U.S. in 2000 while on a military training assignment for the Algerian Air Force, of which Benatta was an 8 year veteran. The U.S. assisted Algeria in military matters because the government was allied with the Algerian government against the opposition Islamic party. Benatta unfortunately, being a Muslim, didn't seem to appreciate all the years of fighting his own people.
In April 2001, while in the U.S. for training, Benatta defected from his Army, and jumped a bus from Baltimore to New York. Benatta spent the next five months in New York, where his visa expired. Sometime while in New York, Benatta decided to try to get political asylum in Canada, and purchased faked identification.
On September 5, 2001, Benatta showed up at the Canadian border seeking asylum - but using his fake papers. He was detained at the border until an investigation could confirm his real identity.
On September 12, 2001, some unknown Canadian immigration official decided it was best to deport Benatta back to the U.S. based on the following evidence:
- Benatta resented his own government and the U.S. for the treatment of Muslims by his government.
- Benatta had on his person while trying to enter Canada, pictures of both the World Trade Center and the White House.
- Benatta was using a false identity to enter Canada.
- Benatta is a flight engineer and former Air Force Lt.
- Benatta had been living illegally in the U.S.
- Benatta is a Muslim from the middle-east
Of course, the most damaging circumstantial evidence came on September 11, when 19 Muslims of middle-eastern descent, who had received flight training in the United States, crashed two airliners into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth was suspected to have been targeting the White House.
Benatta's story is tragic for sure. But it's not Canada's job to protect every single foreigner who shows up at our border, especially when they're trying to lie their way into our country.
Ironically, since Benatta was released by the U.S. Canada has granted him temporary resident status to pursue his status as a refugee. Which are hardly the actions of an irrational racist government. Benatta was a victim of circumstance, nothing more.
