Internal department review wrong choice for Diab case: lawyer

The federal justice department has no credibility to review Hassan Diab's extradition, according to his lawyer.

Diab, 64, was extradited to France in 2014 and spent more than three years in prison there in near-solitary confinement conditions while being investigated on terrorism charges.

When Diab was released and returned to Canada in January, Justice launched an internal review of the case.

Documents obtained by CBC News show a senior lawyer with the justice department went to great lengths to obtain evidence when it appeared the French case was falling apart.      

"They can't investigate themselves, that will have no credibility," Donald Bayne told The House.

"Tasking the minister of justice to do an internal review is asking the wrong people."

CBC News has also learned Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland will closely monitor the review.

Bayne said her involvement in the case has been "outstanding," but it shouldn't be left to an internal government review because of evidence of their involvement.

The lawyer said he doubts that anything short of a public inquiry will reveal the full truth.