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Joshua Boyle, now free after five years of captivity in Afghanistan, is perhaps best known for his brief marriage to Omar Khadr’s older sister.

Boyle, the son of an Ottawa tax court judge, was married for about a year to Zaynab Khadr. She’s the eldest daughter of Ahmed Said Khadr, who was accused by the U.S. and Canada of being an associate and financier for the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. Ahmed Khadr studied at the University of Ottawa, and the family moved between Canada, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Zaynab Khadr was a fierce defender of both her father and her brother, Omar Khadr, who was captured as a 15-year-old fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan and charged with killing an American soldier.

How did Zaynab Khadr meet Boyle, a University of Waterloo graduate? Boyle had developed a keen interest in national security and human rights issues after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

Boyle was principled, smart and a “crusader” by nature, said his friend Alex Edwards, who lives in Carleton Place. Boyle was captivated by the plight of Omar Khadr, who was being held in a U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, said Edwards.