TORONTO — The wife of a suspected Egyptian terrorist wept in court as she promised to abide by any bail conditions that would return her husband home after five years in detention.

Husnah Al-Mashtouli told Federal Court she had no choice but to accept because Mahmoud Jaballah's children need him at home.

Jaballah wants to be freed on bail pending the outcome of his long battle to stave off deportation to Egypt, where he says he would be tortured or killed.

The government says he's too dangerous to be allowed out, but his lawyers say strict bail conditions would ensure public safety.

Those conditions would include being a virtual prisoner in his own house and constant electronic monitoring.

Al-Mashtouli called Jaballah's current indefinite detention without charge a virtual "death sentence.''

"A human being is born to be free,'' she told court.

"We have to abide by these (proposed bail) conditions to avoid the danger of going back to our country.