Lawsuit against Canada by ex-terror suspect detained in Sudan heads to court after 15-year wait

Abousfian Abdelrazik is suing for $27M, claiming Ottawa arranged for his imprisonment and detention in Sudan, and obstructed his repatriation to Canada

OTTAWA — Fifteen years after filing a lawsuit against the Canadian government over his detention in Sudan, Abousfian Abdelrazik is getting his day in court.

An eight-week civil trial that began Monday in Federal Court is revisiting events that unfolded two decades ago against a backdrop of heightened vigilance because of the threat of extremism.

Abdelrazik is suing for $27 million over his ordeal abroad, claiming Ottawa arranged for his arbitrary imprisonment, encouraged his detention by Sudanese authorities and actively obstructed his repatriation to Canada for several years.