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TORONTO — Federal immigrations officials arrested a Pakistani man in the Toronto area on Monday and are attempting to deport him for alleged connections to terrorism, a government source confirmed.

Jhanzab Malik was being held at the Maplehurst detention centre while the Canada Border Services Agency took steps to have him declared inadmissible to Canada on terrorism-related grounds.

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His lawyer, Anser Farooq, confirmed Mr. Malik had contacted him following his arrest but he had no details. He said Mr. Malik had been questioned by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in the past.

He was expected to appear before the Immigration and Refugee Board, possibly on Wednesday, to determine whether he should remain in custody pending his inadmissibility hearing.

The CBSA declined to comment.

The arrest comes almost five months after another landed immigrant from Pakistan, Mohammed Aqeeq Ansari, was picked up in Toronto following an RCMP investigation called Project Seashell.

A hearing to decide whether to deport Mr. Ansari concluded last week with Mr. Ansari insisting he was innocent and the CBSA claiming he had “longstanding involvement” in the terror group Sipah-e Sahaba Pakistan.

National Post

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