Man stranded at airport arrives in B.C.
Canadians help free Syrian stuck in Malaysia after fleeing military
A Syrian refugee who had been stranded in a Malaysian airport for more than seven months landed in Vancouver on Monday, finally reaching the end of an ordeal that he had documented extensively on social media.
Hassan al-Kontar, who was wanted in Syria for refusing to serve in the military, had been stuck in Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March, when he was turned back as he tried to leave the country. He intended to travel more, eventually seeking asylum.
He had overstayed his Malay- sian visa, so leaving the airport wasn’t an option, either. In October, he was arrested by Malaysian police and sent to a detention centre, setting off fears among human rights groups that he could be forced to re- turn to Syria. He had not been heard from on social media since the arrest. But he resurfaced in a Taiwan airport on Monday, announcing in a video that he would soon be reaching Vancouver — “my final destina- tion.” “Thank you all,” he said. “I love you all.”
Late on Monday, wearing a Tshirt, jeans and flip-flops, alKontar arrived in Vancouver and was greeted with a hug by Laurie Cooper, who was part of a group of Canadians that raised thousands of dollars to sponsor his asylum application and lobbied for his freedom. Cooper, who lives in Whistler, B.C., told the Guardian that alKontar would be staying in her guest room.
Al-Kontar had not been in Syria since 2008, and he did not return to the country to renew his passport when it expired out of fear he would be arrested. In the airport, al-Kontar slept on a thin mat, relying on airport snacks and food donations from travellers and airport employees.