Mohamed Harkat

Who is Mohamed Harkat?

Mohamed Harkat is a native-born Algerian and permanent resident of Canada who was arrested in 2002 on suspicion of ties to terrorism and was imprisoned under security certificates. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service alleged that he entered the country as a sleeper agent for al-Qaeda.

He had worked in Pakistan from 1990-1994 for a charity that assisted refugees. After immigrating to Canada in 1995, Harkat applied for refugee status and for a Permanent Resident card. He worked as a gas station attendant and a deliveryman for Pizza Pizza during his seven years in Canada. He was released on May 23, 2006 under house arrest, while fighting deportation.