Federal employee charged with sexual assault after former Afghan interpreter sues government

Afederal public servant at Global Affairswho is being suedby a female former Afghan interpreter has now been charged criminally in relation to allegations in the lawsuit.

Galal Eldien Ali, a 64-year-old resident of Ottawa, has been charged with 11 counts, including multiple counts of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a young person, assault, uttering threats and extortion.

The charges are related to the former interpreter's claim that Ali sexually assaulted her multiple timesbetween 2011 and 2013. Her name is under an automatic publication ban because of the nature of the charges.

Her civil suit seeks damages of $1.75 million from Ali and and more than $1 million from the government of Canada for punitive damages, mental suffering and loss of future or past economic gain.

The woman says she met Ali at Camp Nathan Smith in Afghanistan. She says he helped her come to Canada under a special immigration program for Afghans.

She claims Ali began assaulting her almost immediately after her arrival in Canada, when she was 17. She also says Ali threatened her to convince her not to speak out about the abuse.

Ali's lawyersfiled a statement of defence denying the allegations in the lawsuit.

According to his LinkedIn page, Ali worked for the Canadian International Development Agency as a technical adviser in Kandahar from 2009 to 2012 and has worked for Global Affairs Canada for the past 10 years.

Court documents say Ali has been released on bailbut has been ordered to surrender his passports, to not be in the presence of any female under the age of 16 and to not communicate with the woman in question, or any members of her family.

Ali's criminal lawyer said that while it would be "inappropriate" to comment on the allegations while they are in front of a court, they will all be "vigorously defended."

In a statement Thursday evening, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson said Ali is currently on leave.

"There is zero tolerance for sexual misconduct at Global Affairs Canada," the statement said. "We take all allegations of sexual assault or harassment extremely seriously."

The spokespersonadded it would be inappropriate to comment further because the matter is before the courts.

Ali's next scheduled court appearance is on Tuesday.