The federal government is moving to deport a suspected terrorist to Syria. Hassan Almrei, who recently ended a 40-day hunger strike at a Toronto-area jail, has admitted to using a false passport and making several visits to Afghanistan as a guerrilla fighter.

Almrei, 29, will be deported within 2 1/2 weeks, a government official told a judge at a hearing Monday.

The Syrian refugee has been detained for the last two years on a security certificate, accused of being a part of an international document forgery ring with ties to al Qaeda.

Almrei's last chance to stay in Canada now rests with a federal court judge, who could stay the deportation order until a court determines his status.

A stay application is set to be heard on Wednesday in Toronto.

Almrei, who fled to Canada from Syria fours years ago and was given refugee status, says he will be tortured and maybe even killed if he is returned to the country of his birth.

Earlier Monday, Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar, 33, filed suit against Syria and Jordan. Arar says he was beaten while being held in Syria without charge for over 10 months. He's seeking $31 million for kidnapping, false imprisonment and torture.

It's expected Almrei's lawyer will use the statement of claim from Arar's suit at Wednesday's hearing.