Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 05/01) - Rabid media appetite for stories of terrorism may have cost a former territorial government worker all that was left of him a his good name.

A television news story by Global Canwest out of Vancouver last Friday reported Osama Aziz was at the centre of the biggest criminal investigation in the history of the world.

Aziz worked as an auditor for the territorial government from about 1982 to his retirement two years ago.

Single and with no children, he died a sad death in his Burnaby, B.C. apartment on Nov. 12. Four days passed before his lifeless body was discovered by RCMP.

" He died of cardiovascular disease," said Burnaby RCMP officer Phil Reid. "He had various illnesses, including diabetes. There is no evidence of foul play."

On Nov. 28, a suitcase was turned in to Surrey, B.C. RCMP. It contained papers addressed to Aziz and 100 Iraqi bills amounting to less than $1,000 Canadian.

The news report indicated the bills were worth $10,000 Canadian.

It paraphrased federal Solicitor General Lawrence MacAulay as saying the investigation of Aziz is ongoing.

The same day the story aired, B.C. MP Chuck Cadman questioned MacAulay about a suitcase full of what appears to be Middle Eastern currency, and a Surrey business allegedly connected to the al-Qaeda terrorist group.

Vancouver RCMP say the cash is being considered nothing more than found money.

"It's not at all related to any terrorist attacks or any ongoing investigation that we have," said Danielle Efford of the RCMP's B.C. headquarters.

Burt Koldewey was Azizs boss for part of the 15 years the Iraqi immigrant worked for the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

He said the story he heard was highly speculative and seemed to do the former auditor a disservice.

"He's dead, I mean, have a little respect," said Koldewey. "He can't defend himself and he doesn't have a family to defend him."

Koldewey said Aziz was a hard working employee and a devout Muslim who liked to collect pocket watches.

"Aziz was frugal and helped his family in Iraq," Koldewey said.

" He certainly was upset about the American embargo on Iraq. That was understandable because his family was suffering under it," Koldewey said.

He added that Aziz did not support the Iraqi regime. "He was no friend of Saddam Hussein."