OTTAWA — A CSIS official denies they threatened a Montreal man who was later imprisoned and allegedly tortured by authorities in Sudan.

The spy service employee, who can only be identified as Witness C to protect their identity, is testifying in Abousfian Abdelrazik’s lawsuit against the federal government.

Abdelrazik claims Canadian officials arranged for his arbitrary imprisonment, encouraged his detention by Sudanese authorities and actively obstructed his repatriation to Canada for several years.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik was arrested in September 2003 while in his native country to see his ailing mother.

Witness C, who had previously spoken to Abdelrazik in Montreal, travelled to Khartoum to interrogate him.

In Federal Court today, the witness acknowledged telling Abdelrazik in Canada that he should not travel, but characterized that as sincere advice to protect him rather than a threat.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2024.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press