OTTAWA, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- US soldier Jeremy Hinzman is seekingpolitical refugee status in Canada after fleeing military service in Iraq to avoid a war he calls illegal, it is reported here Monday.

    Hinzman, 25, is appearing in front of an Immigration and Refugee Board in Toronto on Monday.

    Immigration officials have ruled that whether or not the war isillegal is irrelevant in Hinzman's case. If he does not obtain refugee status, he may be deported to the United States where he would be prosecuted as a deserter. If he is granted refugee status,some critics have said it could open the door for even more US deserters to arrive in Canada.

    Hinzman joined the US army in 2001 and was trained as a paratrooper. By August 2002, the practicing Buddhist applied to bea conscientious objector, saying his personal beliefs prevented him from participating in war.

    His application was delayed and he was sent to Afghanistan but served in a non-combat post. His application was turned down whilehe was there.

    But when he got his orders to ship out to Iraq in late 2003, hefled his North Carolina base and moved to Canada with his wife andyoung son.

    "I signed up to defend the country from all enemies, foreign and domestic, not carry out acts of aggression," Hinzman was quoted as saying earlier this year. Enditem