An Ottawa woman who says she was the victim of racial profiling and harassment by the RCMP is suing the Mounties for almost half-a-million dollars.

A statement of claim filed on behalf of Alev Dilaver, a manager of accounts payable at NAV Canada, says in August 2006 she was humiliated and insulted in an interview with two RCMP officers whom she alleges insinuated she was "involved with or had knowledge of an international criminal/terrorist conspiracy."

Dilaver, who is of Turkish-Cypriot heritage and a Muslim according to the statement of claim, was asked to participate in an interview concerning the theft and recovery of a laptop belonging to her boyfriend at the time, RCMP Cpl. Rene Leclerc.

The claim alleges that Leclerc's laptop and briefcase were stolen while he was visiting relatives, but that he found and confronted the thief and got his belongings back. The alleged thief then complained to Montreal police that he had been kidnapped by Leclerc. [Link]