Updated with new documents and links to relevant articles from the press and concerned Canadians

Evidence continues to mount that Canada was complicit in hiding the facts of Afghan detainee torture allegations. Implicated are senior officials and politicians in the federal government which include former and current Ministers of Defence Gordon O'Connor and Peter MacKay and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

... individuals held him to the ground [redacted] while the other [redacted] beating him with electrical wires and rubber hose.

Maybe Harper's Canada condones torture, but mine does not.

Backing up Richard Colvin's testimony that senior Canadian officials were alerted to credible allegations of torture among those detainees originally captured by the Canadian military is this redacted email. I've transcribed the scanned and redacted email to the best of my ability as follows (highlighting is mine):

The detainee indicated that he was never visited by a representative of [redacted]. He indicated that he believes the facility received a visit by representatives of [redacted]. He indicated that he was not provided with any legal representation nor was clearly informed of the charges against him.

When asked about his interrogation the detainee came forward with an allegation of abuse. He indicated that he has been interrogated on [redacted] occasions by a group of # individuals. He could not positively identify the individuals [redacted]. He indicated that he could not recall the [redacted (first?)] interrogation in any details as he was allegedly knocked unconscious early on. He alleged that during the [redacted (second?)] interrogation [redacted] individuals held him to the ground [redacted] while the other [redacted] beating him with electrical wires and rubber hose. He indicated a spot on the ground in the room we were interviewing in as the place where he was held down. He then pointed to a chair and stated the implements he had been struck with were underneath it. Under the chair, we found a large piece of braided electrical wire as well as a well as a rubber hose. He then showed us a bruise (approx. 4 inches long) on his back that could possibly be the result of a blow. [While we did not ask, after the interview was completed and before we left, [redacted] told us that [redacted].

The detainee specifically asked that these allegations be kept confidential (Not shared with NDS officials). Report from Canadian inspection of Afghan prison

The report was compiled by a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAIT) official, one of Richard Colvin's colleagues, following an inspection of an Afghan prison.

Other reports also filed by personnel in theatre also corroborate Colvin's testimony. Attached 4 page report KANDH0138 contains reports of abuse including:

• He alleged that he has been beaten while at NDS and [redacted]
• He claims that he was interrogated on [redacted] occasions while at NDX (approx. [redacted] and that he was beaten on [redacted])
• He alleged that he was beaten several times with a cable and was told that he would be [redacted]. He alleged that [redacted][redacted][redacted]

One can only imagine what sort of threats are being thrown at detainees while they are in the process of being beaten.

The Conservatives have unleashed their complete arsenal of attack dogs on this issue, striving to undermine the credibility of Colvin by painting him as a lone individual whose allegations are backed up by no one else.

But that isn't the case, as the attached documents clearly show. Clearly we've not learned the last of this sordid affair.

Who knew what and when are the key questions and there seems to be plenty of evidence circumstantial and otherwise to suggest that politicians right to the very top of the heap have known of these allegations for some time. If we take Colvin at his word, and increasingly it appears there is no reason not to accept his findings, the Harper government has known of these troubling issues since virtually the start of their tenure in government back in 2006.

Why would they deny such allegations and attempt to hide the truth all these years, rather than take the bull by the horns and actually address the problem? That is a subject for an upcoming post, and the conclusion I come to is almost as troubling as torture itself.

Attached: Redacted documents provided to the CBC this Thursday by University of Ottawa law professor Amir Attaran.