[2] A psychologist's report in 2001 indicated that Kanaan experienced a normal, stable upbringing, that he and his family had a deep devotion to the Christian faith and that he abstained from the consumption of alcohol.
Karam and the gang's principal criminal activity was the distribution and sale of cocaine in the inner-Sydney suburb of Kings Cross.
[citation needed] On the evidence of Rossini, he, along with Kanaan, Shadi Derbas, Bassam Kazzi and an unidentified man, drove to a cafe in Five Dock in Sydney's inner-western suburbs.
Singleton replied with a racist comment and a fight involving the three patrons, Rossini, Kazzi and Kanaan ensued.
"[5] 14 year-old Edward Lee was stabbed to death by Moustapha Dib on infamous Telopea Street in Punchbowl in Sydney's south-west.
[6] Kanaan, who had links to most of those present at the scene, was informed of the situation, and was involved, along with Moustapha's brother, and Narwas Refai, in arranging for the Dib brothers to be transported to Queensland and alibis created by way of associates in Queensland booking a motel and ordering food under the Dibs' names.
[10] Kanaan, El-Assaad and Jamal were charged in relation to a shooting incident on Eveleigh Street, Redfern, in Sydney's inner-west.
He left behind a wife and daughter[13][14] According to Rossini, he, Kanaan, El-Assaad and Mark Cheikh drove around Sydney's inner-eastern suburbs.
[15] Constables John Fotopoulos and Christopher Patrech followed them in their police vehicle to the end of Alma Street, Paddington.
On 29 November 1999, Magistrate Pat O'Shane discharged Kanaan from standing trial in relation to the White City shooting.
The Director of Public Prosecutions was not impressed and ordered that Kanaan stand trial on the basis of an ex-officio indictment.
[19] On 26 February 2001, Kanaan's Five Dock trial was aborted as a result of an article in The Sydney Morning Herald the previous day.
[citation needed] On 6 June 2002, a Supreme Court jury convicted Kanaan, along with Mawas and El-Assaad in relation to the murder of Karam.
On 29 August 2002, Supreme Court Justice James Wood sentenced Kanaan to life imprisonment in relation to the murder of Karam.
On 18 December 2002, Supreme Court Justice Robert Hulme sentenced Kanaan in relation to being an accessory after the fact to the malicious wounding of Edward Lee (having pleaded guilty).
On 29 May 2006, Kanaan was finally convicted by a Supreme Court jury in relation to the White City shooting, although the charges had by now been downgraded from attempted murder to that of malicious wounding with intent.
On 27 July 2007, District Court judge Stephen Norrish sentenced Kanaan to 10 years imprisonment in relation to the Greenacre shooting.
[22] On 3 August 2007, Kanaan applied to the High Court of Australia for special leave to appeal in relation to the Five Dock and Karam murders.