France bombing suspect fights extradition
Ottawa's Prof. Hassan Diab sees 'witch-hunt atmosphere'
The lawyer for an Ottawa sociology professor facing possible extradition to France in a 30-year-old terrorist bombing case wants the proceedings stopped.
Donald Bayne, lawyer for Hassan Diab, has filed an abuse-of-process application in Ontario Superior Court.
"It is abusive what France has done and is doing here," Bayne told the court Monday.
France says Diab was involved in a 1980 Paris synagogue bombing that killed four people and injured dozens of others.
Bayne argues documents have been manipulated to falsely implicate Diab while others have been concealed.
It is "a small miracle" that Diab has been able to unearth evidence that demonstrates France's shoddy approach, he said, adding that the abuses prejudice a fair extradition hearing.
In a statement Monday, Diab reiterated his claim of innocence.
"I condemn all ethnically, racially and religiously motivated violence," Diab said. "Since Sept. 11, 2001, the presumption of innocence and other core values of our legal system have eroded, especially for people from particular minority backgrounds.
"I hope this extradition hearing will end the witch-hunt atmosphere I have been living under for the past three years, and that no one else will have to endure the burden of false, unfounded accusations."