Mahjoub national security certificate ‘reasonable’ although rights violated

TORONTO – A Federal Court judge has upheld the national security certificate imposed on an Egyptian man who has been in prison or under house arrest for 13 years.

The judge also ruled the government had violated the rights of 53-year-old Mohamed Mahjoub to a fair trial.

However, the judge declined to offered any relief for the violation.

The Toronto father of three has been fighting government allegations that he was a ranking member of a terrorist group in Egypt.

He was first arrested in 2000 as a terrorist threat and held under a national security certificate, which allows for indefinite detention without charge or trial.

Canada has been trying to deport him to Egypt but courts have stopped that on the basis he could be tortured there.