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Sayfildin Tahir Sharif, 40, is shown in a 2011 court released photo. An Edmonton judge ruled Friday there is enough evidence to extradite him to the U.S. to face charges of conspiracy to kill Americans.The Canadian Press

An Edmonton judge has ruled there is enough evidence to extradite a Canadian citizen to the United States to face terrorism charges.

Sayfildin Tahir Sharif is accused of conspiracy to kill Americans and supporting a terror group that took part in a 2009 suicide bombing in his native Iraq. A truck filled with explosives was detonated at a military checkpoint, killing five U.S. soldiers.

The Crown argued that intercepted phone and Internet conversations show Mr. Sharif, who went by other names — including Faruq Muhammad'Isa — helped jihadists contact members of a terror network as they made their way from Tunisia to Iraq to make the attack.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Adam Germain said the recorded phone calls and emails went far beyond religious enthusiasm.

"The record of the case is logical and supported by Mr. Isa's own words," Germain ruled.

The case will go to federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson for a final decision on whether the 40-year-old will be sent to New York to face trial.

If convicted of terrorism charges in the United States, Mr. Sharif could face a maximum life sentence.

Mr. Sharif's lawyer, Bob Aloneissi, said the defence will appeal the judge's ruling.

Mr. Aloneissi argued during the hearing that there is no clear evidence that proves Mr. Sharif helped support a terrorist group or that he agreed to help kill anyone. He said the Crown's case is based on police interpretations of vague statements by Mr. Sharif that have been translated from Arabic to English.

Mr. Sharif, an ethnic Kurd, was born in Iraq but moved to Toronto as a refugee in 1993. He became a Canadian citizen in 1997.

On Jan. 19, 2011, he was arrested at an Edmonton apartment, where he lived with his girlfriend and her children.

Mr. Sharif has claimed the terrorist allegations against him came from people who were tortured by American investigators. The judge ruled the claims were heresay. Mr. Sharif also told police after his arrest that he sent $2,800 to a mujahedeen group. But he testified that it was to repay a debt.

He was further questioned about counselling a young woman in Morocco over the Internet to become a suicide bomber, asking her if she wanted go to heaven and be surrounded by angels. Mr. Sharif told the RCMP that he was just showing off because he wanted a relationship with the woman and doesn't believe in suicide bombers.

Mr. Sharif acknowledges his real name is Isa but he changed it to escape a Turkish refugee camp when he was a young man.

He said he feared that using his real name again would have made it difficult for him to immigrate to Canada.

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