Jamal and David


Suspicions of terrorism and racial profiling

A local resident and new Canadian is in jail in Israeli accused of joining a terrorist organization. And my youngest brother is in the family doghouse for going public about his own suspicions in the case.

Jamal Akkal is by most accounts a friendly, polite and quiet 23 year old. Born in Palestine he came to the Windsor area four or five years ago as a landed immigrant to join family members already here. He became a Canadian citizen, studied at the University of Windsor, owned a convenience store and went to a truck driving school this past August. That's where he met my brother David. They both got their licenses to operate the large tractor-trailers that dominate the highways.

David didn't believe Akkal's story about wanting to become a weekend truck driver. He noticed that Akkal was absent when customs officials came to the school and when the class went across the border. He called the local police about his suspicions and they told him to call the RCMP. He did so, leaving a recorded message. The RCMP never returned his call.

Akkal was arrested in Israel on November 1, accused of being trained by Hamas as a terrorist. His family says he had gone back to the homeland looking for a bride. So far little in the way of convincing evidence has been made public. News reports say Akkal made and then retracted a confession, saying he had been subjected to prolonged sleep deprivation. Whatever the grounds for the arrest it's not likely they had anything to do with David.

However yesterday the front page of the Windsor Star included an interview with David, explaining why he called the cops. He had spoken of this on a call-in radio show during the weekend and that came to the attention of Star reporter Doug Williamson.

The rest of our family reacted to the story with dismay. We all, adults and kids, first felt a twinge of fear that David and those close to him might be subject to retribution if the accusations against Akkal are true. Then the implications of Akkal possibly being innocent began to uncomfortably bubble up.

Another big story yesterday was the release of a report by Keith Norton, Ontario's chief human rights commissioner, condemning the practice of racial profilng. This morning Joe Comartin, one of our local members of parliament, told CBC radio he's getting hate calls from bigots who want him and the government to abandon any defense of Akkal's rights as a Canadian citizen.

The phone at David's house didn't stopped ringing all day and evening. Aside from worried family most of the callers have been laudatory.

I heard David's story long before Akkal was arrested. I didn't share his concern. If Jamal had come from Alaska or Jamaica I don't think he would have been noticed. Trucks are dangerous but learning to drive isn't in the same category as flight school when it comes to the training of terrorists. I'm not surprised someone with professional aspirations would want to drive truck part time. Missing a couple of classes is not unusual. But I think David did the right thing by calling the police. I would rather people talk to the authorities than ignore their suspicions.

He does not think he was caught up in racial profiling. There was another Arab-Canadian in the class who joked about Akkal's quiet and focussed demeanour, saying that if he didn't pass he might blow up the school. David admits he's preoccupied with the threat of terrorism and that his suspicions reached a peak during the August 14 blackout, a few hours after he and Akkal had talked. I wasn't there so I'm not going to second guess him. There is not a day that goes by that I don't look out past my balcony at the Detroit skyline and imagine an airliner crashing into one of the towers of the Renaissance Centre.

Posted: Wed - December 10, 2003 at 02:44 PM          

©