Cablegate: Trials in Jordan's State Security Court - an Update

VZCZCXRO3545
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #8850/01 3470545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130545Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6087
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUFTNAB/COMUSNAVCENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 008850

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PHUM ASEC IZ SY JO
SUBJECT: TRIALS IN JORDAN'S STATE SECURITY COURT - AN UPDATE

REF: A. A. AMMAN 7630
B. B. AMMAN 4685
C. C. 05 AMMAN 7600

Summary
-------

1. (SBU) Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) handed down
sentences in four terrorism-related cases, and continued
proceedings against Nabil al-Jaaoura, a Jordanian who
allegedly killed a British tourist at Amman's Roman
Amphitheater in early September, and Ziyad Khalaf Karbouli,
an Iraqi charged with murdering a Jordanian citizen in Iraq
in September 2005. The SSC also began proceedings against
three Hamas militants who allegedly planned attacks in
Jordan. END SUMMARY.

Aqaba Attackers Sentenced
-------------------------

2. (SBU) The SSC on December 7 sentenced Ali Muhammad Hasan
al-Sahli (a Syrian) to death, and Abd-al-Rahman Ismai'l
(Syrian) and Samih al-Nubani (Jordanian) each to two years in
prison for their roles in August 2005 rocket attacks against
a U.S. ship and the Israeli border town of Eilat. The Court
of Cassation will automatically review the sentence of Sahli.
If the sentence is upheld, the King must sign a death
warrant before the execution can take place. The court also
sentenced to death in absentia six others involved in the
attack: Abd-al-Rahman al-Sahli (Syrian), Abdallah al-Sahli
(Syrian), and Ammar Al-Sammarra'i (Iraqi). The SSC also
sentenced in absentia Abd-al-Halim al-Dulaymi (Iraqi), Hamid
al-Dulaymi (Iraqi), and Husam al-Dulaymi (Iraqi), each to ten
years' imprisonment (ref B).

HAMAS Weapons Case Brought to Trial
-----------------------------------

3. (SBU) The Prosecutor General of the SSC issued a bill of
indictment November 4 against three Hamas-affiliated
defendants accused of weapons smuggling, and plotting to
attack Israeli targets in Jordan and the home of a Jordanian
intelligence officer. The indictment alleges that Ayman
Hamdallah and Iyad Abd-al-Latif met with Tawfiq Mahdi
al-Abbushi of Hamas in 2002. Abbushi offered to grant the
two membership in the movement, and arranged for their travel
to Syria where they were to receive training and operational
instructions. At a later date, Hamas members requested that
the two surveil the home of an intelligence officer, and
asked them to retrieve and store weapons from hidden arms
caches in Jordan. According to press reports, Hamdallah met
a third operative, Ahmad Abu-Rabi, with whom he agreed to
carry out attacks in Jordan, "in the service of religion."
If convicted, the two could face the death penalty.

Al-Ta'ifah Al-Mansurah Defendants Convicted
-------------------------------------------

4. (SBU) On October 18, the SSC found eight militants guilty
of plotting to kill American and Iraqi trainers at the Jordan
International Police Training Center, among other plots (ref
B). The leader of the group, prisoner Ahmed Shabaneh,
received a 10-year sentence. Fugitives Ahmad Yassin and
Haitham al-Gazzaz were sentenced in absentia to ten years.
One other fugitive and the remaining defendants were given
sentences between two and seven and a half years. Press
reports that Shabaneh formed the group al-Ta'ifah al-Mansurah
(Victorious Sect) in 2003, following the U.S.-led war on
Iraq, with the aim "to strike at Americans and Jews and carry
out military operations against them inside Jordan."

Five Convicted for Attempted Attacks in Israel
--------------------------------------------- -

5. (SBU) On November 22, the SSC sentenced Khaled Mohammad
and Firas Rifai to ten years' imprisonment for possession of
automatic weapons and planning to use them in attacks in
Israel (ref B). Three other defendants (two under the age of
eighteen at the time of their arrest) were each sentenced to
one year in jail for carrying out acts that undermine
Jordan's relations with a foreign country.

Amphitheater Attacker Asks for Harshest Punishment
--------------------------------------------- -----

6. (SBU) Proceedings continue in the case of Nabil Ahmed
Issa al-Jaaourah, accused of shooting tourists visiting
Amman's Roman amphitheater in September (ref A). During his
hearing, Jaaourah ranted against the United Kingdom, saying
that "God blessed me when I killed a British man and hurt
others because they have been fighting the Prophet and his

AMMAN 00008850 002 OF 002

soldiers since the Balfour Declaration." Jaaourah has
confessed to his crimes, and has asked the court to impose on
him "the harshest punishment."

Karbouli Claims Torture, Judges Add Slander to Charges
--------------------------------------------- ---------

7. (SBU) Former Iraqi customs employee Ziad Khalaf Raja
al-Karbouli proclaimed during his trial "We in al-Qaida will
continue our holy war and our reward will be the dear virgins
of heaven." He stands accused of killing a Jordanian driver
and attacking other Jordanians in Iraq (ref A). After his
arrest, the GoJ aired his taped confession on national
television, but Karbouli claims it was extracted under
torture. For his derisive comments in court against King
Abdullah, the panel of judges hearing his case recommended
the prosecutor add lese majeste to Karbouli's charge sheet.
The court is trying thirteen others in this case in absentia.

Three convicted for support of Hizb al-Tahrir
---------------------------------------------

8. (SBU) On December 6 the SSC sentenced three men to prison
terms for distributing illegal pamphlets and CDs prepared by
the outlawed Hizb Al-Tahrir. Mohammad Noor and Mohammad
Rashad each received one-year sentences, while Mohammad Kheir
was sentenced to six months -- a fourth defendant, Ihab
Najati was acquitted. Hizb al-Tahrir advocates the overthrow
of the Hashemite monarchy (ref C).

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http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
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