OTTAWA - Canada's top military investigator says he knew nothing about a Federal Court ruling that flagged concerns about the treatment of war prisoners in Afghanistan.
Lt.-Col. Gilles Sansterre says he didn't know about a February 2008 ruling that found "real and serious concerns" about the safety of detainees once they were handed over to Afghan authorities.
Sansterre, the commander of the military's National Investigation Service, is appearing today before the Military Police Complaints Commission.
The civilian-run commission is investigating an allegation from Amnesty International Canada and the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.
The groups say Canadian military police did not properly investigate officers responsible for directing the transfer of detainees to Afghan authorities, allegedly at the risk of torture.
Transferring prisoners between countries knowing they likely face torture is considered a war crime.
