By Sarah Berman
VANCOUVER, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Testimony of a Canadian police
officer acting as the airport liaison when Huawei Chief
Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested two years ago will
continue in court on Tuesday as the witness cross examination in
Meng's U.S. extradition hearings enters the final week.
Prosecutors are trying to establish that Meng's arrest by
the Canadian federal police and the investigation by the border
officials were aboveboard. Meng's lawyers are seeking to prove
that Canadian and U.S. authorities illegally directed the Canada
Border Services Agency's (CBSA) examination of Meng in order to
use the agency’s additional investigative powers to gather
information from her without a lawyer present.
Meng, 48, was arrested in Canada in December 2018 on a
warrant from the United States. She is facing charges of bank
fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC Holdings Plc about
Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business dealings in Iran,
causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions.
She has said she is innocent and is fighting the extradition
from under house arrest in Vancouver.
The witness testimony this week has generated more attention
after news last week that U.S. prosecutors are discussing a deal
with lawyers for Meng to resolve criminal charges against her,
signaling a potential end to a case that has strained ties
between the United States, China and Canada.
Her lawyers have argued in the British Columbia Supreme
Court that Meng's extradition should be thrown out based on
alleged abuses of process that took place during her
investigation by Canadian border officials and subsequent arrest
by police, including inappropriate coordination between U.S. and
Canadian authorities.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Sergeant Ross Lundie
testified on Monday that he was "very uncomfortable" being the
point of contact for the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
because he felt it conflicted with his responsibilities as a
Canadian police officer.
"At the end of the day, I'm not there to provide information
and act on behalf of the FBI. I’m there working as an RCMP
member," Lundie told the court.
Prosecutors are arguing that Meng's extradition is valid and
procedures were followed.
Meng’s arrest caused a chill in diplomatic relations between
Ottawa and Beijing. Shortly after Meng was detained, China
arrested two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor,
who now face spying charges.
On Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the
release of the two Canadians was his "top priority," while
declining to comment on the talks to release Meng.
Meng’s case is scheduled to wrap up in April 2021.
(Reporting by Sarah Berman in Vancouver; Additional reporting
by Moira Warburton in Toronto; Editing by Leslie Adler)
HSBC Holdings (HSBA)