Pubdate: Sat, 24 Mar 2007
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: William Lin and Carly Weeks, CanWest News Service

POLICE ORDER REVIEW OF AGENT'S CASE

MPs Urge Inquiry Into Alleged Abuse Of Witness Protection Program

The RCMP has ordered a review of facts surrounding a former 
informant-turned-agent over allegations that he potentially abused 
the Witness Protection Program.

Many of the man's activities were reported to be in Victoria.

Raf Souccar, assistant commissioner of federal and international 
operations, ordered the review after a CanWest News Service article 
detailed the story of Richard Young, a man who allegedly supplied 
false information and later killed someone as a protected witness, 
said RCMP spokesman Martin Blais. The review is to be conducted by 
RCMP officers in British Columbia, said Blais.

Opposition parties are calling on the Conservative government to 
answer "disturbing questions" raised over allegations of the 
program's potential abuse, as well as concerns over its secrecy and 
lack of accountability.

"We don't know if there's systemic issues here, or if it's isolated," 
said Liberal public safety critic Sue Barnes. "I think it raises some 
disturbing questions about the operations of the Witness Protection Program."

NDP public safety critic Joe Comartin wants the federal government to 
launch an independent inquiry into the case.

The concerns come after a CanWest News Service article detailed the 
story of Young, a man who allegedly provided false information about 
what the RCMP believed was a major drug dealer in Victoria while 
acting as an informant.

The man was later promoted to a paid agent, despite doubts that had 
been raised about his credibility by a police polygraph specialist.

After participating in an RCMP initiated drug "buy and bust" in 2001, 
Young was put in the Witness Protection Program. He was later 
convicted of killing a person, but because he's a protected witness, 
no details of the case can be published or released.

Now, opposition parties are speaking out about what they say are 
indications the Witness Protection Program is too secretive and may 
be rife with abuses the public is never told about.

"I think a number of us for a long time have felt uncomfortable with 
the fact it's just the police services that makes the decision on 
whether somebody's going to be allowed in this program," Comartin said.

He said the protection program, which costs between $2 million and $3 
million a year, is not accountable and must be altered to include the 
participation of judges, so police forces aren't solely responsible 
for choosing who is allowed in the protection program or promoted 
from RCMP informant to agent.

"Oversight in itself is not sufficient. We need actual intervention 
by judicial authorities as the process is ongoing -- not after the 
fact," Comartin said . "I want to prevent the abuse and the only way 
you can do that is to have the intervention before the process starts.

Both Comartin and Barnes said they plan to raise the issue at the 
House of Commons public safety committee in order to determine 
whether the Witness Protection Program has widespread problems. 
Barnes said she wants officials from the program to appear before the 
committee. "At this point, we don't have sufficient information," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman