Canadian Jewish News Toronto, November 3, 1992

Irving defies law

By RON CSILLAG

TORONTO -- Whither David Irving?

The British Holocaust revisionist, who entered and stayed in Canada despite an order barring him and another ordering him to leave the country within 48 hours, faced deportation to Great Britain as the CJN went to press Monday afternoon.

Minutes before midnight Sunday, Irving attempted to cross over into the United States, which refused to accept him. He spent the night at an immigration detention centre in Niagara Falls, Ont., pending a hearing Monday.

It is not known why U.S. officials refused Irving entry. Some speculate it may have been because the author did not truthfully disclose the purpose of his visit when he entered Canada, or because he entered Canada despite an order barring him from doing so.

Irving's odyssey began last month, when he was served in Los Angeles with an order barring him entry to Canada, where he had scheduled a two-week, five-province speaking tour.

Irving nevertheless sneaked into the country at the Niagara Falls crossing and made his way to Victoria, where he delivered a speech in a restaurant to about 100 supporters.

Just as he was about to finish, police officers moved in and arrested him.

Irving's lawyer, Doug Christie, then appealed to Federal Court for an injunction to rescind the order banning his client. Judge Barry Strayer allowed the ban to stand.

At an adjudication hearing Friday. Irving was given 48 hours to leave after Christie and officials of the immigration department struck a deal.

The deal allowed Irving to leave under a departure notice rather than a more serious and immediate deportation order.

But Irving made full use of the 48-hour window. He came to Toronto over the weekend, where he delivered a speech to about 100 followers at the Primrose Hotel.

It was after the speech he tried to cross into the United States.

Immigration department spokesman Milt Best told The CJN Monday morning that a hearing in Niagara Falls was called on charges that Irving did not comply with his order to leave.

Best said Irving was technically on Canadian soil after the stroke of midnight Sunday, when the 48 hours had elapsed .

He said Irving faces deportation to his native England because the Americans don't want him.

Irving has admitted he lied when he crossed the border into Canada . He said he told officials than he would be touring Ontario .

A t a press conference Monday morning, B'nai Brith Canada said allowing Irving 48 hours to leave ''is like giving the fox 48 hours to leave the chicken coop.

Marvin Kurz of BBC's League for Human Rights said strict terms should have been attached to Irving's departure notice and he blasted federal officials for agreeing to a plea bargain from Christie.

BBC also called for the establishment of an "interdepartmental" task force to monitor the movements of white supremacists and neo-Nazis. The group would like to see more co-ordination between the departments of immigration, Canada Customs and provincial attorneys-general .

Irving is best known for his belief that the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust has been greatly exaggerated and that gas chambers at Auschwitz, were erected after the war as tourist attractions.

Irving's deportation could mean his permanent ban from Canada. He is already barred from several countries, including Germany and Austria.