Lai Changxing, China's most wanted fugitive who allegedly...

Lai Changxing, China's most wanted fugitive who allegedly oversaw a huge smuggling empire, was denied political asylum by a Canadian immigration panel.
The panel sided with Ottawa and Beijing in finding that the allegations against Lai were for "non-political" crimes, such as bribing government officials, and dismissed his claim that he and his family will be killed if they were sent home. It ruled against Lai's request for refugee status, but agreed to allow him to remain in Canada while his attorney asks the courts to review the decision. If the courts agree, the appeal process could take more than a year to complete.
Beijing accuses Lai, who fled to Canada from Hong Kong in 1999 with his family, of smuggling billions of dollars of goods, including oil, into China in the mid-1990s without paying duties, and bribing officials to turn a blind eye. Lai's refugee claim was also based on his fear that he would be executed if sent home.
Canada traditionally does not return accused criminals to countries where they face capital punishment, but Ottawa won a pledge from Beijing that Lai would not face the death penalty if convicted. "(The panel) found that on the balance of probabilities, Mr. Lai and Ms. Tsang Mingna will not face the death penalty because China will honor its diplomatic note not to execute them," it said in summary of the nearly 300-page decision.
Lai told reporters he still did not believe China's assurances, and that eight people convicted in connection with the case have already been executed. "You won't even hear my voice," he said.
Lai's attorney said he believed there were enough questions about Friday's ruling for the courts to order a review. But an immigration official said only about 1 percent of all refugee panel rulings are eventually overturned.