MONTREAL – Smiling broadly and flashing a peace sign, Abousfian Abdelrazik has been reunited with his son and step daughter in Montreal.
After spending the past six years stranded in Sudan, he said it’s great to be home.
Abdelrazik arrived back in Canada Saturday, landing in Toronto where he was met by cheering supporters at Pearson Airport.
Before continuing on to Montreal, where he arrived around midnight, he thanked them for making his homecoming possible – and said he was proud to be a Canadian citizen.
Abdelrazik had the same message for the approximately 40 supporters who greeted him in Montreal.
The 47-year old was arrested during a 2003 visit to Sudan to see his ill mother.
He was accused of having ties to terrorists, but was never charged.
Abdelrazik claims he was tortured before Sudanese authorities eventually released him.
The R.C.M.P. investigated and found no evidence linking him to criminal activities.
But it was not until the Federal Court of Canada ordered the Harper government to issue him a passport that he was finally cleared to come home.
He spent his last 14-months in Sudan at the Canadian embassy in Khartoum.
As for the future, Abdelrazik says he wants to relax with his family, get to know them again, and readjust to life in Canada.
His lawyers will go to court on July 7 to try to get his name removed from the United Nations no-fly list.
