By Canadian Press

Court of Appeal upholds Edmonton man’s extradition to U.S. to face terrorism charges

Jun 13, 2019 | 11:34 AM

EDMONTON — The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld an extradition order for a man facing terrorism charges in the United States.

Abdullahi Ahmed Abdullahi, 34, has been charged in the U.S. with conspiring to provide and providing material support to terrorists engaged in violent activities in Syria.

He was ordered extradited by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice John Little in May 2018.

Three Appeal Court justices — Barbara Lea Veldhuis, Jo’Anne Strekaf and Dawn Pentelechuk — heard Abdullahi’s challenge of the extradition order last Wednesday.

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“Mr. Abdullahi raises the same arguments on appeal as raised before the extradition judge,” they wrote in a decision released Tuesday.

The arguments included “the deliberately vague” record of the case and a belief that some of the information comes from witnesses who are no longer alive.

“In our view, Mr. Abdullahi’s appeal is grounded in the erroneous suggestion that the evidence … would not meet the evidentiary standards of a Canadian criminal trial,” they wrote. “This is not the test.”

They said the extradition judge was correct to conclude that the evidence was reliable and available for trial.

Abdullahi could still seek leave to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court before he is deported to the U.S.

His lawyer, Akram Attia, could not be reached for comment.

American officials allege Abdullahi conspired with Douglas McCain, the first known American who died fighting for the Islamic State, and others in the U.S. and Canada.

Abdullahi, also known as Phish or Fish, was indicted in California in March 2017 and arrested by Canadian authorities in September 2017.

The U.S. indictment alleges that Abdullahi conspired with McCain and others to provide personnel and money to people in Syria engaged in terrorist activities, including killing, kidnapping and maiming people.

It also alleges Abdullahi robbed an Edmonton jewelry store to finance the travel of McCain and others, then wired the money.

Abdullahi also faces an armed robbery charge in Canada.

Colette Derworiz, The Canadian Press