Press Release For immediate use

George Galloway is suing the Canadian government for $1.5million.

The legal action alleges defamation, misfeasance of public office and claims general and exemplary damages amounting to $1.5million. The statement of claim was served today (Tuesday) on Immigration, Nationalities and Multiculturalism minister Jason Kenney and his assistant Alykhan Velshi.

The claim centres on allegations Kenney and Velshi made about Galloway, on the record and in inter-departmental communications, when he was banned from Canada in March 2009. Specifically that he was a member of a terrorist organisation and was threat to the national security of Canada. They also claimed that the security services had confirmed this. None of these allegations was true.

The claim alleges that Kenney and Velshi abused the power of their offices by banning Galloway from Canada in March 2009 to prevent him from appearing on a cross-country speaking tour on the false pretext that he was a threat to national security. In addition the claim alleges that both Kenney and Velshi made false statements to the media that have defamed Galloway.