EDMONTON - An alleged Edmonton terrorist questioned whether police had the wrong guy while being arrested and asked if the RCMP takedown was a Candid Camera episode.

That was among the evidence heard Monday, at the start of a week-long extradition hearing for Sayfildin Tahir-Sharif, who US authorities say is also known as Faruq Khalil Muhammad Isa - wanted on terrorism charges there for allegedly helping terrorists kill five American soldiers in a 2009 suicide bombing in Iraq.

The hearing is being held so a judge can decide whether statements made by Tahir-Sharif are admissible.

RCMP Sgt. Jim Greene testified the suspect was arrested at a north-side Edmonton apartment on the morning of Jan. 19, 2011.

In an audio recording of the arrest played in court, police can be heard yelling at Tahir-Sharif to get down on his belly before handcuffs are placed on him. Then, after he is told of the terrorist-related charges he is facing, Tahir-Sharif is heard asking officers if they have mistaken him for somebody else.

"What has that got to do with me. I don't understand," asks Tahir-Sharif, as Greene repeats the terrorist-related allegations.

Tahir-Sharif can also be heard saying that he has never been to any of the places mentioned in the allegations, including Iraq, and that he "never talked to anyone."

He also asks Greene if he's on "Candid Camera."

Greene told court Tahir-Sharif was arrested after a year-long investigation involving the FBI.

Tahir-Sharif - who US authorities say goes by several names, including Isa - is accused of being an active member of a terrorist network, conspiring to kill Americans abroad and of providing material support to a terrorist network.

Court has heard Tahir-Sharif is an ethnic Kurd who was born in Iraq and moved to Canada in 1993.
According to Canadian officials, the final decision on extradition to the US will fall to the Ministry of Justice.

Defence lawyer Bob Aloneissi said earlier that his client intends to fight the extradition, calling the request a political move, rather than a legal decision.

"My question is why extradite him, when we have the same terrorism laws here in Canada?" he said.

Tahir-Sharif claims his Charter rights were breached when the statements he made were obtained.