Paul Kirk Dr Aubrey Levin has threatened to sue the Mail & Guardian – in Canada – for its articles on his exploits while in the service of the South African Defence Force. Levin’s Canadian lawyers say that in addition to suing over the articles, Levin wants his victims silenced and intends suing the M&G for publishing letters from his alleged victims in Talk Back – a comment section of the newspaper’s sister website. Levin’s lawyer, Grant Stapon, has urged the M&G to seek “competent legal advice” over whether it can be sued in the Canadian province of Alberta. Stapon claims that the “international communication of your stories to third parties, the publication of your allegations by way of Internet, and the communication which has occurred between Mail & Guardian reporters and reporters in Canada, has established sufficient grounds for an action to be commenced as against you in the Alberta courts”. Stapon says Levin is a 61-year-old Canadian citizen who has had a very long and distinguished career in South Africa and abroad. The letter says that “at no time was he ever in charge of any programme, nor did he participate in any programme involving gays or lesbians for the South African Defence Force”.
Stapon says the newspaper’s reports “constitute a vicious attack on Dr Levin, replete with actionable malice. The publications as a whole have no regard to the truth as it relates to Dr Levin, and even less regard to the damage which your false allegations would clearly cause him here in Canada and on an international basis.”