Canada border officer who questioned Meng Wanzhou says 10 minutes on Wikipedia made him suspicious about Iran dealings
- Huawei executive’s lawyers suggest airport questioning was part of an evidence-gathering exercise coordinated by the FBI
- Border officer Sanjit Dhillon says he developed concerns about possible espionage on the morning of Meng’s arrest
A Canadian border officer who asked Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou about the company’s business dealings in Iran came under questioning about his motivation on Tuesday, amid her legal teams’ suggestion it was part of an evidence-gathering exercise orchestrated by the American FBI.
Canada Border Services Agency Superintendent Sanjit Dhillon had previously told the Supreme Court of British Columbia that he developed concerns Meng might have been involved in espionage after reading about her and Huawei on Wikipedia in the hours before her arrival at Vancouver’s airport on December 1, 2018.
On Tuesday, Dhillon said he spent five to 10 minutes reviewing the Wikipedia article and it “gave rise to suspicion” that Huawei could be involved in subverting the Canadian government and that Meng might be a security risk.
Under questioning from Canadian government lawyer Diba Majzub, representing US interests in the case, Dhillon said that he knew Meng was facing fraud charges and that his “instincts” then suggested this might have been related to activities in Iran.
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Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou leaves Canadian court after legal setback
Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes is hearing witness testimony in the extradition case. Meng is attempting to avoid being sent to New York to face trial on fraud charges, which she denies.