An international legal group, Lawyers Against The War, has written a letter to the Mounties asking them to investigate former president George W. Bush "for aiding, abetting and counselling torture between November 13, 2001 and November 2008 at Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, Bagram prison in Afghanistan and other places".

Today's (March 11)  letter to the RCMP War Crimes Section, which is signed by Vancouver lawyer Gail Davidson,  points out  that Bush is reported to be planning a to visit Calgary, Alberta as a guest of the city's chamber of commerce.

LAW claims that Bush is "inadmissable to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act...because of overwhelming evidence that he has committed, outside Canada, torture and other offences referred to in sections 4 to 7 of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act".

The letter also alleges that Bush has engaged in "systematic or gross human rights violations, or a war crime or a crime against humanity" under subsections 6(3) to 6(5) of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

"Overwhelming evidence of these allegations against both G.W. Bush and the Bush Administration is widely available," LAW wrote. "These allegations have triggered Canada's duty to act to use all legal means to ensure the appropriate investigations, remedies and responses. Canada's international legal duties specifically prohibit treating these acts as legal, as ignoring the IRPA and allowing Bush into Canada would do."

The letter closes by stating that LAW  is ready, on request, to provide references to evidence of torture.

"We are confident that other organizations such as the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, National Lawyers Guild, American Civil Liberties Association and the Center for Constitutional Rights would also be ready to assist by providing references to evidence," LAW stated.

It requested a reply before March 17, which is the day Bush is expected to touch down in Canada.