Canada spy agency warned of 'shock waves' from arrest of Huawei founder's daughter
Canada’s intelligence agency warned that arresting the
daughter of billionaire Huawei founder Ren Zheng would set off global “shock
waves” and seriously affect ties with China, just before her detention in
Vancouver on a U.S. extradition request, new court documents show.
Released on Friday, the documents show the involvement of
the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in the December 2018 arrest
of Meng Wanzhou, which soured diplomatic ties between Ottawa and Beijing.
Meng is chief financial officer of China tech giant Huawei
Technologies Co Ltd, the company at the center of next generation 5G wireless
technology and a long-running dispute the administration of U.S. President
Donald Trump.
A CSIS report was disclosed in the court documents as part
of Meng’s extradition proceedings. In a redacted Dec. 1, 2018 memo, CSIS said
it was advised by the U.S. FBI of plans to arrest Meng when she arrived on a
flight to Vancouver International Airport later that same day.
“The arrest is likely to send shockwaves around the world,”
CSIS said. “The planned event will be of great consequence internationally and
bilaterally,” the report said.
Huawei lawyers called the documents proof that authorities
had conspired against Meng.
Meng is accused by U.S. authorities of bank fraud for
misleading HSBC (HSBA.L) about Huawei’s relationship with a company operating
in Iran, putting HSBC at risk of fines and penalties for breaking U.S. sanctions
on Tehran.
Meng’s lawyers have argued the case should be thrown out
because Canada did not have sanctions against Iran. Meng says she is innocent.
Last month, a Canadian judge allowed the case to continue, rejecting defense
arguments that the U.S. charges against Meng do not constitute crimes in
Canada.
The new court documents show the CSIS was concerned about
when Meng’s arrest might become public. Her lawyers noted the point was of
particular interest, since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump and
Chinese President Xi Jinping were attending the G20 summit in Argentina and
dining together on the evening of Dec. 1.
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