Four more Tamil migrants from a freighter discovered off the B.C. coast have been cleared to move to Toronto once they arrange for someone to put up a financial bond and they meet conditions intended to ensure they are not involved in terrorism.
The migrants were among 76 men who were taken into custody in October. So far, the Immigration and Refugee Board has ordered 27 men released, but it is not clear how many have met the requirements that would allow them to leave the detention cells.
Ottawa has tried to keep eight of the 27 in custody but has not publicly revealed why it doesn't want the men freed.
The federal government has applied for judicial reviews of the IRB decisions. The applications are to be heard in Federal Court in January.
Those ordered to be released yesterday were required to put up bonds ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. One of the migrants also had to arrange for a $10,000 performance bond that must be paid if he does not abide by conditions set by the IRB.
The migrants must also have no contact or accept no funds from those who support terrorism, such as members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which Canada lists as a terrorist organization.
The news media are prohibited from publishing the names of the migrants or any information that could identify them under a ban imposed by the refugee board.