An alleged Al-Qaeda terrorist living in Phoenix, Arizona, is fighting extradition to Iraq so he can stand trial for murder charges involving two police officers.

Federal authorities arrested 42-year-old Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri on a provisional extradition warrant this week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed. Authorities took Ahmed Al-Nouri before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Z. Boyle on Friday. Court records did not reveal if Ahmed Al-Nouri had a legal immigration status or how he entered the country despite his alleged Al-Qaeda ties.

Ahmed Al-Nouri, a “Phoenix-area resident,” says the U.S. Attorney, was a leader of an Al-Qaeda group in Fallujah. There, Ahmed Al-Nouri planned operations targeting police, according to prosecutors.

Between June and October 2006, his group allegedly killed a first lieutenant and a lower-ranking police officer. Those homicides form the basis for Iraq’s extradition request on Ahmed Al-Nouri.

According to prosecutors, a U.S. court must certify the extradition and after that, the Secretary of State will decide if Ahmed Al-Nouri is sent to Iraq.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.