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A Canadian police officer who was acting as the airport liaison when Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested two years ago, testified Tuesday that he should have investigated further when he thought he overheard a fellow police officer and a border agent discussing the issues. access keys to Meng devices.
FILE PHOTO: Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on December 7, 2020. REUTERS / Jennifer Gauthier
VANCOUVER: A Canadian police officer who was acting as the airport liaison when Huawei’s CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested two years ago testified Tuesday that he should have investigated further when he thought he overheard a fellow police officer and a border agent arguing. Meng’s passwords. devices.
Meng’s lawyers have argued that the US and Canadian authorities unlawfully coordinated during his investigation and arrest. In particular, they claim that Canadian border agents intentionally provided identifying details about Meng’s electronic devices, including passwords, to Canadian police.
Furthermore, they allege that the Canadian police shared those details with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Meng, 48, was arrested in Canada in December 2018 on a warrant from the United States. She faces bank fraud charges for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings Plc about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s business in Iran, causing the bank to breach US sanctions.
She has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition under house arrest in Vancouver.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Sergeant Ross Lundie, who was serving as the force liaison at the airport when Meng was arrested, told the court Tuesday that he recalled hearing from one of his RCMP colleagues discussing passwords, potentially for Meng’s devices, with a Canadian border agent.
But he said he did not realize the potential meaning of the conversation on the day of Meng’s arrest.
“At the time I had no idea why there would be passwords for phones … obtained by anyone,” he said. “I should have asked for clarity.”
Prosecutors are trying to establish that Meng’s arrest by Canadian federal police and the investigation by border officials were honest.
Witness testimony this week has drawn more attention after news last week that US prosecutors are discussing a deal with lawyers for Meng to settle the criminal charges against him, signaling a possible end to a case that has strained ties between the United States, China and Canada. .
His attorneys have argued in the British Columbia Supreme Court that Meng’s extradition should be dismissed due to alleged abuses of the process that took place during his investigation by Canadian border officials and the subsequent arrest by police, including coordinating inappropriate between US and Canadian authorities.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Sgt. Ross Lundie testified Monday that he felt “very uncomfortable” being the point of contact for the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation because he felt it conflicted with his responsibilities as a police officer. Canadian police.
“At the end of the day, I am not there to provide information and act on behalf of the FBI. I am working as a member of the RCMP,” Lundie told the court.
Prosecutors argue that Meng’s extradition is valid and procedures were followed.
Meng’s arrest caused a cooling in diplomatic relations between Ottawa and Beijing. Shortly after Meng’s arrest, China arrested two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who are now facing espionage charges.
On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the release of the two Canadians was his “top priority”, declining to comment on the talks to free Meng.
Meng’s case is scheduled to conclude in April 2021.
(Reporting by Sarah Berman in Vancouver; Additional reporting by Moira Warburton in Toronto; Editing by Denny Thomas and Lisa Shumaker)
