Father of Canadian man held in Syrian detention camp calls for federal assistance
Father of Canadian man held in Syrian detention camp calls for federal assistance
Barrie -
The parents of a Canadian man who has been held in a detention centre in northeastern Syria since 2017 are once again calling on the Canadian federal government for help to repatriate their son.
Jack Letts, named "Jihadi Jack" by the British media, was a bright teenager in Oxford, U.K., with a knack for learning languages, his dad, John Letts told CTVNews.ca.
Jack Letts, who was baptized Catholic, converted to Islam in his teens.
“There wasn't any issue of radicalization as the papers have said or anything like that,” John Letts said, adding that at the time, he and his wife “met all of [Jack’s] friends” who were religious.
“We weren’t particularly concerned,” he said.
In 2014, Jack Letts moved to Kuwait to study Islamic studies -- a move John Letts said he and his wife supported.
“He went to Kuwait, registered, lived in a place and the course was getting going,” John Letts said. “And then the next thing we knew was a phone call that he was in Syria.”
John Letts said he never got an explanation about why his son left Kuwait for Syria, but said Jack would “regularly” tell him during phone calls that he was “the same” kid, and was not a part of the “system” in Syria.
John Letts said allegations purported by British media that his son left for Syria to join ISIS are “complete rubbish.”
“I mean, where’s your evidence for any of that?” he said.
”“All I can say is when he left I didn't have concerns like that,” John Letts said. “And he also then reassured us that he was not involved with ISIS when he did make phone calls.”
In 2017, Letts was picked up by Kurdish forces. He has been detained at a camp in northeastern Syria ever since.
According to a 2020 report published by Human Rights Watch, for months before he was captured, Jack Letts told his parents he had been trying to leave Syria.
The report said that in prison interviews with British media, Jack Letts admitted to living under ISIS, but denied being a member, adding that the group had imprisoned him three times for opposing its practices.
According to the family, in 2017, the Kurdish forces said they wanted to hand Jack over to the U.K., but the U.K. government refused to help, claiming a lack of consular presence in the area.
In 2019, the U.K. government revoked Jack Letts’ citizenship.
John Letts said he and his wife have not directly spoken to their son since his detainment in Syria, receiving only a handful of “sporadic” letters over the years.
The most recent letter arrived around Christmas of last year.
John Letts said the letter sounded like Jack’s writing, but the contents were “strange” and seemed “formal.”
“The honest truth is I don't know if he's mentally still there,” he said. “He has been tortured a lot. One human rights lawyer went in and said Jack told him he'd been tortured 15 times in the torture room.”
Letts said that because they don’t receive regular updates, the family is not even sure Jack is still alive.
According to John Letts, representatives from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) interviewed his son in the detention centre in Syria shortly after he was captured.
Letts said he has received only part of the transcript from that conversation.
“They never sent me the whole transcript,” he said. “And it's very clear that Jack's talking about being tortured with electricity [and] the hot box they put out in the desert --all these things. So Global Affairs knew all about it and did nothing.”
John Letts said early on, GAC said the agency would do what it could for their son, but said the family has not received any support.
“So we get nothing at all, you send the message, they say, ‘We have no consular assistance,’ he said. “And it's interesting that the message is identical to the British message, ‘We have no consular assistance, there's nothing we can do. If there is please update us.’”
CTVNews.ca reached out to GAC to determine what consular services had been provided to the family.
In an emailed statement, GAC said it is “aware of Canadian citizens being detained in Syria.”
“Given the situation on the ground, the Government of Canada’s ability to provide consular assistance in Syria is extremely limited,” the statement read.
The agency said it “continues to follow the situation very closely.”
“Due to provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed,” the email reads.
John said while he believes his son is innocent, he “understands the fear” the public has regarding terrorism.
“I have family and friends in Canada, I understand that fear,” he said. “And the same in the U.K., I know people who were severely injured in the bombings in London. I understand that.”
“But, you know, so you just lock up people innocently because they're Muslim, or because they were stupid and 18 and went to Syria?” he continued.
John Letts said when Jack returns to Canada, he should face the justice system and be tried in a Canadian court for any crimes he may have committed.
If the court deems he has committed a crime, John Letts said, the family believes he should be punished or rehabilitated.
“I don't believe in vigilante justice or witch hunt, and I think that's what's going on,” John Letts said. “So as a Canadian, he should have a right to defend himself against accusations based on zero evidence, except for the fact that he went there and he's a Muslim.”
He said he wants the Canadian government to “act according to the law, and according to Canadian values” and “give someone who could well be innocent the chance to prove that.”
In May of 2021, the family’s lawyers submitted a formal complaint to the United Nations, alleging that the inaction and action of both the Canadian and British governments have infringed upon Jack’s right to life.
The complaint also argues that the two countries have violated international law by arbitrarily or discriminatorily withholding consular assistance from Jack Letts.
The complaint also alleges Canada is acting in “bad faith” and only takes responsibility for its citizens when it suits the country politically.
John Letts, who resides in the U.K., is in Ottawa this week to lobby for help for his son.
“We've lined up lots of meetings with MPs and senators and journalists in Ottawa,” he said, adding that COVID-19 and quarantine measures have complicated things a bit.
First and foremost, John Letts said he wants some “confirmed evidence” that his son is still alive.
“That would be really nice as a parent to know he's alive, and that he's not completely mentally crushed,” he said.
British Columbia is taking a major step forward in its fight against the province’s deadly overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of certain illicit drugs for personal use.
Advocates and business owners in the beverage industry say new guidance for drinking alcohol could speed up changing consumer drinking habits as younger generations drink less and non-alcoholic beverages become more popular.
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an 'inflection point' where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths.
Quebec's minister responsible for secularism, Jean-Francois Roberge, has called on Canada’s new special anti-Islamophobia advisor Amira Elghawaby to apologize and step down.
Members of Parliament return to Ottawa to resume sitting for the first time in 2023 on Monday, with the state of Canada's health-care system, the health of the Canadian economy, and rates of violent crime in this country all top of mind.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull has died at the age of 84. He played for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers as well as the World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets over a 23-year pro career.
With Russia's invasion of Ukraine displacing millions of people, many refugees have begun to lay their roots in Canada. If you or someone you know has fled the war-torn country and settled in Canada, we want to hear from you.
On CTVNews.ca/W5: Executive Producer Derek Miller highlights an example of a W5 mini investigation that never made it to air, but made a difference in someone's life nonetheless.
On CTVNews.ca/W5: Executive Producer Derek Miller highlights some of W5's upcoming investigations, including Mexico's multi-billion dollar avocado industry run by cartels, and a continuing look into the Pivot Airlines passengers and crew who were detained for months without charges in the Dominican Republic.
The five-member Pivot Airlines crew, who had been detained in the Dominican Republic for almost eight months, is now back in Canada. An emotional airport reunion took place in a special pre-arrivals area of Toronto Pearson International Airport, as the two flight attendants, pilot, co-pilot and mechanic were greeted by family.
W5 speaks with Pivot Airlines flight attendant Christina Carello, who reveals new details about how she uncovered key evidence that had been tampered with in a nightmare ordeal in the Dominican Republic.
CTV's W5 has been shown never-before-seen surveillance footage of Punta Cana International Airport from the night before a Canadian airline crew was detained after discovering duffel bags stuffed with 210 kilograms of cocaine in their plane's avionics bay.
Fifty years ago, Omar Sachedina’s mother was expelled from Uganda along with tens of thousands of other Asians. This summer, she returned to her village for the first time. Omar recounts, in his own words, the emotional return to his mother’s homeland on CTVNews.ca.
A Toronto passenger said her Sunwing Airlines flight was unforgettable as she recounted the moments after the pilot shut down the plane’s engine mid-flight to Montego Bay on Friday.
The Farmers' Almanac just revealed its spring 2023 forecast and Ontario, along with much of the rest of Canada, is expected to see a “turbulent transition to warmth,” the agency predicts.
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 192 parking tickets and 67 Provincial Offences Notices in downtown Ottawa this weekend, as people gathered marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
The coronavirus remains a global health emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Monday, after a key advisory panel found the pandemic may be nearing an 'inflection point' where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths.
A $200,000 donation is expected to help address the skilled-trade labour shortage in the precision metalworking sector by purchasing equipment to upgrade high school manufacturing facilities.
The Waterloo Fire Department is crediting a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector for potentially helping to save the lives of two people early Sunday morning.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull has died at the age of 84. He played for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers as well as the World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets over a 23-year pro career.
A person has been charged following the death of a pedestrian in a crash last week. As previously reported by CTV News, a pedestrian was struck by a car near Hamilton Road and Watmar Avenue on Jan. 24.
The newly minted Chatham-Kent Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) franchise is immediately dropping their recently announced “Blackbirds” name after learning the term held historical derogatory use.
The newly minted Chatham-Kent Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) franchise is immediately dropping their recently announced “Blackbirds” name after learning the term held historical derogatory use.
A six-year-old girl died in hospital Sunday night after being involved in an incident at the Val-Saint-Côme ski resort in Lanaudiere. Quebec police are investigating, though details into the event are not yet known. Officers indicated that it involved a T-bar lift, but they were not able to say more.
Quebec's minister responsible for secularism, Jean-Francois Roberge, has called on Canada’s new special anti-Islamophobia advisor Amira Elghawaby to apologize and step down.
The grisly aftermath of an alleged fatal shooting was described today during the murder trial of a former medical student accused of killing a fellow student in Halifax seven years ago.
Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella is among several Canadian police chiefs to speak out against the beating death of a Black man by several police officers in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this month.
Horror, outrage, and pain are just a few words Robert Wright uses to describe his feelings after watching Tyre Nichols pinned and assaulted by officers in Memphis.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull has died at the age of 84. He played for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers as well as the World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets over a 23-year pro career.
The University of Lethbridge, following a great deal of push back from students and members of the public, has cancelled a planned lecture from a controversial guest speaker.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says the province objects to Ottawa's plan to extend eligibility for medically assisted death to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness.
Advocates and business owners in the beverage industry say new guidance for drinking alcohol could speed up changing consumer drinking habits as younger generations drink less and non-alcoholic beverages become more popular.
British Columbia is taking a major step forward in its fight against the province’s deadly overdose crisis by decriminalizing the possession of a small amount of certain illicit drugs for personal use.
Members of Parliament return to Ottawa to resume sitting for the first time in 2023 on Monday, with the state of Canada's health-care system, the health of the Canadian economy, and rates of violent crime in this country all top of mind.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will sit down with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this afternoon to discuss private health care ahead of next week's summit with premiers.
The federal government failed to spend tens of billions of dollars in the last fiscal year on promised programs and services, including new military equipment, affordable housing and support for veterans.
The world is 'dangerously unprepared' for future pandemics, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) say in a report published on Monday, calling on countries to update their preparedness plans by year-end.
Advocates and business owners in the beverage industry say new guidance for drinking alcohol could speed up changing consumer drinking habits as younger generations drink less and non-alcoholic beverages become more popular.
While RSV and flu cases steadily decline in Canada, the World Health Organization is set to announce on Monday whether it still considers COVID-19 a global health emergency, but one infectious disease specialist says we still need to keep an eye on the coronavirus.
Chinese internet search major Baidu Inc is planning to launch an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot service similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT in March, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew will appear before the U.S. Energy and Commerce Committee in March, as lawmakers scrutinize the Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people. The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
Ashley Judd says she had to re-enroll herself in trauma therapy to cope with the recent media coverage of her mother's death. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper published Monday, Judd said was forced to revisit her trauma when media outlets published pictures of the scene of her mother's death and the contents of a suicide note.
Tom Verlaine, guitarist and co-founder of the seminal proto-punk band Television who influenced many bands while playing at ultra-cool downtown New York music venue CBGB alongside the Ramones, Patti Smith and Talking Heads, has died. He was 73.
Faced with a tight labour market and a shortage of workers with key software engineering skills, some German companies are looking at thousands of layoffs in Silicon Valley as an opportunity to recruit top talent.
Most Black Canadians feel their employers made progress addressing anti-Black racism last year -- but they worry about what a recession could mean for those gains, a KPMG survey said.
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
Queen of clean Marie Kondo admits that tidying up is no longer top of her to-do list. Posting on her website shortly after the birth of her third child in 2021, the Japanese organization expert reflected on motherhood, saying she had 'eased up on herself' when it comes to tidying.
Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull has died at the age of 84. He played for the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks and Hartford Whalers as well as the World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets over a 23-year pro career.
Gymnastics Canada chief executive officer Ian Moss was on the hot seat at the status of women hearings on safety of women in sport on Monday. Moss was repeatedly questioned by MPs about Gymnastics Canada's handling of coaches Ian Bard and Scott McFarlane amid accusations he knew of complaints from athletes.
Ford Motor Co on Monday cut prices of its electric crossover SUV Mustang Mach-E by as much as US$5,900 per vehicle, weeks after rival Tesla Inc slashed prices globally on its electric vehicles by as much as 20 per cent.
Nissan and Renault have agreed to equalize the stakes they hold in each other, both sides said Monday, ironing out a source of conflict in the Japan-French auto alliance.
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.
