A coalition of human rights groups wants U.S. President Barack Obama to apologize to Maher Arar, the Canadian who was detained by the U.S., deported to Syria and tortured over alleged terrorist activities before being cleared of any wrongdoing.

Amnesty International USA, the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Religious Campaign Against Torture delivered the 60,000-signature petition to the White House on Monday.

In 2002, the Syrian-born Arar was returning to Ottawa from the U.S. when he was arrested, deported and tortured.

A Canadian public inquiry later cleared Arar's name and found he had been the victim of flawed intelligence.

Arar received a $10-million settlement from the Canadian government and a formal apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

But so far, the U.S. hasn't followed suit, and still has Arar on its watch list, the coalition said. His lawsuit against officials in then-president George W. Bush's administration was dismissed in U.S. court.

"Despite being freed and exonerated by his home country, Canada, the United States has never apologized to Arar. This is unconscionable. There must be accountability for torture. To do anything less is a blatant miscarriage of justice," Suzanne Nossel of Amnesty International USA said.

"We call upon the president to issue an apology to Maher Arar and all of the victims of U.S.-sponsored torture," the coalition said, and suggested June 26, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, when Obama is scheduled to make a statement.