Edmonton judge to decide if terror suspect is to be sent to United States

EDMONTON – An Edmonton judge is expected to rule today if a Canadian citizen should be extradited to the United States to face terrorism charges.

Sayfildin Tahir Sharif is accused by U.S. officials of conspiracy to kill Americans and supporting a terror group that took part in a suicide bombing in his native Iraq.

The bombing in 2009 killed five American soldiers.

Sharif, who is 40, became a Canadian citizen after arriving in this country in 1993 and he was arrested at an Edmonton apartment 19 months ago.

If the judge rules there’s enough evidence to extradite Sharif, the case would be sent to federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson.

He would make the final decision on whether Sharif would be handed to U.S. authorities to stand trial in New York.