Terror suspect’s extradition hearing delayed until May

EDMONTON / The extradition hearing for an Edmonton man charged with the murders of five U.S. soldiers in Iraq has been delayed for several months.

Faruq Khalil Muhammad ’Isa, an Iraqi-Canadian, is also charged with conspiring to kill Americans abroad and providing material support to a terrorist conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens abroad in connection with a suicide bombing on April 10, 2009.

The hearing to determine whether the accused terrorist will be moved to the United States was scheduled to begin Monday, but has now been set for May 14. ’Isa made a rare court appearance for the adjournment. Clad in a blue prison jumpsuit, his long, greying hair was tied in a ponytail.

After evidence was sent south of the border last year, U.S. authorities took time to examine it, then provided a record of the case for Canadian federal prosecutors. That record had just arrived in the past week, court heard.

“The bottom line is the United States government needed more time, that is the essential reason for this adjournment,” said ’Isa’s lawyer, Bob Aloneissi.

’Isa was arrested by RCMP at his Edmonton apartment on Jan. 19, 2011. He has been held in segregation for months at the Edmonton Remand Centre while awaiting his extradition hearing.

’Isa is also known by at least three aliases: Faruq Khalil Muhammad ’Isa, Sayfildin Tahir Sharif and Tahir Sharif Sayfildin.

If convicted in the U.S., ’Isa could face a maximum of life in prison.