A man injured in the same firefight in which Omar Khadr is alleged to have killed an American special forces soldier says he believes Canada owes the former Guantanamo Bay inmate nothing.
Layne Morris was blinded in one eye on July 27, 2002 in Afghanistan. He said in a new interview that he doesn鈥檛 spend much time thinking about Khadr, but was upset to learn of Friday鈥檚 federal government apology to Khadr and the reported $10.5 million he was paid.
鈥淗e shouldn鈥檛 be getting a dime,鈥� said Morris. 鈥淗e should feel grateful that he鈥檚 walking the streets in the first place and ought to feel privileged to be able 鈥� to be a productive and contributing member of society.鈥�
Morris and Tabitha Speer, the widow of Sgt. Chris Speer, who was alleged to have been killed by Khadr, filed a lawsuit to try and stop any money from reaching Khadr鈥檚 hands. Two years ago, Speer and Morris won a US-$134.1 million judgment against Khadr.
On Friday, as the apology was announced, Liberal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said that because Khadr鈥檚 鈥渃harter rights were violated 鈥� the government of Canada was required to provide a remedy."
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, meanwhile, called the settlement "disgusting鈥� and said Khadr's return to Canada should have been remedy enough.
Morris said he doesn鈥檛 believe Khadr deserves an apology from anyone, including the U.S. government, and instead should be thanking the U.S. for saving his life.
鈥淗is family owes humanity an apology, to be very blunt,鈥� said Morris. 鈥淣ot the other way around. Canada owes this man nothing.鈥�
Khadr claims U.S. forces captured him when he was badly wounded and lying in rubble.
Morris said he doesn鈥檛 know what kind of person Khadr is now, but he knows what kind of person he was before.
鈥淭hat was a hardened and determined and disciplined terrorist,鈥� said Morris. 鈥淭hat was my first impression and I鈥檝e seen nothing to change my mind on that.鈥�
In an interview with The Canadian Press Friday, Khadr said that he wants to continue his schooling in nursing and be a productive citizen out of the public eye.
Morris said he鈥檚 skeptical that Khadr is changing his life, because he hasn鈥檛 seen any proof.
鈥淚鈥檝e never heard anything that says he鈥檚 doing anything other than continuing to rely on other people鈥檚 willingness to help him out,鈥� said Morris.
He also disputes the notion that Khadr was a child soldier, saying the meaning has been twisted.
鈥淭his is a privileged young man who has grown up around the world and speaks three or four different languages,鈥� Morris said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not a child soldier, that鈥檚 just a bad kid.鈥�
In a statement issued after the apology, Khadr's lawyer, Dennis Edney said his client 鈥渨as abandoned in a hellish place called Guantanamo Bay, for 10 years, a place internationally condemned as a torture chamber.鈥�
