Canada Denies U.S. Extradition Request for Somalis Allegedly Linked to Terrorism Financing

On June 3, 2002 Canadian officials announced that Canada would deny a U.S. extradition request for Somali national Liban Hussein, 31 years old, whom the U.S. accuses of terrorism financing and associated offenses. In a statement Canada?s Justice Ministry said it was discontinuing proceedings, even though both the U.S. and Canada named the suspect on a list of persons with suspected links to Al Qaeda. Canada will remove Mr. Hussein from its own list and request the United States Security Council to do the same. However, Buck Shinkman, a spokesman with the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, contradicted Canada?s statement that the U.S. did not object to the decision. Canadian authorities arrested Mr. Hussein in November 2001 on a U.S. warrant. Canada also put Mr. Hussein on the list based on information received from the U.S. A Canadian judge released Hussein on bail after finding no evidence he was ?involved in any terrorist act or activity.?