U.S. Soldier--An Iraq War Resister--Arrested

UPDATE from the group's site:   "Amnesty International considers Kimberly Rivera to be a conscientious objector, and as such would consider her to be a prisoner of conscience should she be detained for military evasion, upon arrival in the United States."

(Reuters) The first woman to flee the United States military as an Iraq war resister was arrested at the border in northern New York on Thursday after losing her bid to remain in Canada, according to an advocacy group that had campaigned on her behalf. The soldier, Kimberly Rivera, 30, a private who served three months in Iraq and traveled to Canada while on leave in 2007, was taken into custody at the Thousand Islands Bridge border station about 30 miles north of Watertown, N.Y., said Michelle Robidoux, spokeswoman with the War Resisters Support Campaign.

“She presented herself voluntarily, was arrested and taken to Fort Drum,” Ms. Robidoux said. The Pentagon had no immediate comment. Private Rivera, who had been living in Toronto with her partner and four children, deserted because she developed an opposition to the mission in Iraq, Ms. Robidoux said. She was denied refugee status by Canadian authorities and last month lost her appeal of a deportation order. She had been given until Sept. 20 to leave Canada.