So that's what they mean by 'reasons of national security'

Yesterday, human-rights advocates at the inquiry released two versions of the same Foreign Affairs e-mail from Oct. 23, 2002 -- a complete copy obtained under access to information, and another "redacted" by the government.

The complete version reads: "When asked if he wished the Embassy to provide him with anything he might need he answered that his needs were all taken care of by his Syrian hosts (his answer was dictated to him in Arab by the Syrians.)"

In the government-released version, the bracketed clause is blacked out.

— from Expert warns 'culture of secrecy' may block truth about Arar case in The Globe and Mail

So remember, folks, when your government says 'we cannot give you that information for reasons of national security', what they really mean is: 'we cannot give you that information because it plainly reveals our craven complicity in the barbaric violation of your human rights'.

Yep. Adding that translation to my phrasebook, methinks.