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What do we know for now?

In lieu of Richard Colvin’s memos, there is, again, Richard Colvin’s affidavit and what he says there about those memos. In that affidavit, filed for the Military Police Complaints Commission, Colvin describes sending seven memos before the Globe’s report of April 23, 2007.

Here are the dates and tracking numbers for each of those, with whatever description Colvin has provided of the content.

1. May 26, 2006. KANDH-0029.
“KANDH-0029 reports on, inter alia, the results of my investigations on the transfer of Afghan detainees,including Maj. Liebert’s informal investigation within KAF.KANDH-0029 included a ‘comments’ section and two recommendations.”

2. June 2, 2006. KANDH-0032.
“This dealt with two issues, one of which concerned the risk of torture and /or actual torture of Afghan detainees … The section of KANDH-0032 that dealt with the risk of torture and/or actual torture of Afghan detainees transferred by Canada was based on a  source or sources that I assessed at the time, and assess today, as highly credible. ln general,during my 17 months in Afghanistan, I obtained information on detainee issues from a wide range of sources.This included diplomats from other embassies, NGOs, officials from UNAMA, military officers at ISAF, human-rights organizations, journalists and intelligence sources. It wouid be normal, appropriate and necessary for me in the context to rely on such sources in the course of my duties.”

3. August 28, 2006. Unnumbered.
“It dealt with procedural issues on detainees, such as notification, and included requests and recommendations to address such procedural issues.”

4. September 19, 2006. KBGR-0118.
“… after meeting with two highly credible sources in Kabul , I sent a C4 message following up on the more informal 28 August message … In it, I communicated detailed and directed concerns expressed by those sources regarding current Canadian practice on detainee notifications and transfer. The report made reference to both procedural issues and substantive concerns regarding treatment of Afghan detainees.”

5. September 28, 2006. KBGR-0121.
“Nine days later, on September 28, 2006, following a meeting with a third interlocutor, and having received no response to KBGR-0118, I sent a follow-up report, ‘KBGR-0121,’ to the same DFAIT addresses, including IDR. This report dealt with procedural issues only, but was even more direct in content than was KBGR-O118.”

6. December 4, 2006. KBGR-0160.
“On December 4,2006 I sent another report,’KBGR-0160,’ on detainee policy issues, including concerns about treatment of detainees.”

7. April 20, 2007. KBGR-0258.
“On April 20, 2oo7, I sent a C4 report, ‘KBGR-0258,’ on detainees. It dealt with a range of issues, including their treatment.”

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