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Saskatoon

'There ought never be an offer to settle': Sask. premier disagrees with Omar Khadr compensation

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall doesn't believe the federal government should be compensating Omar Khadr.

Federal government plans to apologize, pay $10.5M in compensation

Premier Brad Wall said he disagrees with Ottawa's decision to award Omar Khadr $10.5 million in compensation. (Craig Edwards/CBC)

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall doesn't believe the federal government should be compensating Omar Khadr.

On Tuesday, government sources confirmed that Ottawa will apologize to the former Guantanamo Bay detainee and will pay him $10.5 million dollars in compensation.

Writing on Twitter, Wall disagreed with the federal government's decision.

"For Omar Khadr, there ought never be an offer to 'settle,'" he wrote. "Some things are worth the legal fight right to the end."

The then-15-year-old Khadr ultimately confessed to killing U.S. army medic Sgt. Christopher Speer during a firefight at a suspected al-Qaeda compound in 2002. Khadr ultimately served 10 years at a military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In 2012, he was returned to Canada and was released in May 2015, pendingan appeal of his conviction.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2010 that Canadian intelligence officials obtained evidence from Khadr under "oppressive circumstances," such as sleep deprivation, during interrogations at Guantanamo Bay in 2003, and then shared that evidence with U.S. officials.

Khadr's lawyers had filed a $20-million lawsuit against Ottawa, arguing the federal government violated international law by not protecting its own citizen and conspired with the U.S. in the wrongful imprisonment and abuse of Khadr.

Federal Conservative MPs have been critical of the move, with Conservative public safety critic Tony Clement saying he was "absolutely astounded this has happened."

Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Jason Kenney also denounced the reported deal, calling it odious.