20474: Esser: Ottawa must explain its handling of senior Haitian security official (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

Canadian Press

March 16, 2004

Ottawa must explain its handling of senior Haitian security official:
lawyer

TORONTO -- A senior Haitian security official wanted on drug charges
in the United States made a brief court appearance Tuesday as his
lawyer fumed about the way the case was being handled.

Oriel Jean has never been charged with anything before and the United
States is using "trumped up" charges to try to "pump" him for
information, said defence lawyer Guidy Mamann. Mamann said officials
were digging for dirt on the former Haitian government of Jean
Bertrand Aristide.

"The Americans have a vital interest in knowing everything they can
know about former president Aristide," Mamann said in an interview
from his Toronto office.

"Basically if they have evidence, they're not sharing it."

Jean was the one-time head of security to the ousted Haitian
president and worked for Haiti's government for a dozen years.

He was detained when he arrived in Toronto for a visit last week and
was handed over to the RCMP on Monday pending the outcome of the
extradition process.

The extradition matter was adjourned Tuesday until March 23 so his
lawyers could have more time to prepare their case.

Mamann also demanded answers from the Canadian government over his
client's treatment.

Jean was denied legal counsel for two days over the weekend and he
was interrogated by an American drug enforcement agent without a
lawyer present, said Mamann.

"That is what is frightening," said Mamann.

A spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency would not comment on
the case other than to say an extradition warrant has been issued for
Jean.

© The Canadian Press 2004
.