Cablegate: Sajida Al-Rishawi Sentenced to Death

VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #7277 2641349
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211349Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4304
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS AMMAN 007277

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PHUM ASEC IZ JO
SUBJECT: SAJIDA AL-RISHAWI SENTENCED TO DEATH

REF: A. 05 AMMAN 8828

B. AMMAN 4685
C. AMMAN 2118

(SBU) Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) on September 21
sentenced seven persons to hang, including would-be suicide
bomber Sajidah al-Rishawi, for the November 2005 Amman Hotel
bombings (ref A). Rishawi, an Iraqi, confessed on Jordan TV
days after the bombings, and then pled not guilty in early
July. She is the first woman ever to be sentenced to death
by the SSC. The other six defendants (Othman Ismail Dalimi;
Hiam Hassan; Walid Hassan; Nihad Rishawi; Karim Jassim
Fahdawi; and Mazen Mohammad Shehadeh) were tried in absentia,
and are believed to be in Iraq. The decision will be
reviewed by the Court of Cassation, Jordan's highest. If the
verdict is upheld, the King must sign a death warrant before
the execution can take place.
Rubinstein

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