Egyptian-Canadian arguing to have terrorist label nixed

TORONTO – A lawyer for a Toronto man is arguing his label as a national security risk should be thrown out.

She says the government’s evidence against Mohamed Mahjoub is too badly tainted and weak to withstand proper scrutiny.

Based on secret information, Canada’s spy agency has branded Mahjoub, an Egyptian refugee, as a terrorist threat.

As a result, he has spent more than 12 years either in prison or under house arrest.

His lawyer tells Federal Court that what is known is that much of the evidence against Mahjoub has been linked to torture.

She says Canadian security officials did not have the decency to exclude that information.