| A Canadian citizen born in a Gaza refugee camp will have to stay in Israel to face charges of plotting to kill Jewish people in North America, an Israeli military court ruled Tuesday. Jamal Akkal, 23, is accused of having received weapons training from the Palestinian group Hamas with the goal of killing American and Canadian Jews, as well as an Israeli citizen visiting the U.S. Akkal’s lawyer, Jamil Khatib, had argued that because the alleged plot involved a crime that would take place outside Israel, and be carried out by a non-Israeli, Israel had no authority to prosecute. Israel authorities countered that the alleged training took place in Gaza, an area under the jurisdiction of Israeli military officials, and had the potential to endanger the lives and security of Gaza residents. Akkal, who lived in Windsor, Ont., after coming to Canada in 1999, has insisted he is innocent of all charges against him. He said he returned to Gaza only to become engaged to a 17-year-old cousin who still lives in the Nusseirat refugee camp where Akkal was born. He remains in high-security custody near the city of Ashkelon. No trial date has been set, pending an appeal of Tuesday’s decision. |