VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAM #4685/01 1761344
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251344Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1669

UNCLAS AMMAN 004685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PHUM ASEC IZ IS JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S STATE SECURITY COURT MOVES ON TERRORISM 
CASES 
 
REF: A. 05 AMMAN 8828 
     ¶B. AMMAN 3325 
     ¶C. 05 AMMAN 7438 
     ¶D. AMMAN 2118 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) continued 
proceedings against would-be suicide bomber Sajida Rishawi, 
as well as six defendants charged with firing rockets at two 
U.S. warships in Aqaba.  The SSC began proceedings against 
nine defendants - including Azmi Jayousi - for an attempted 
prison break, and against five Jordanians arrested for 
plotting to carry out attacks in Israel.  The SSC indicted 
seven defendants for planning an Al-Qaeda linked terrorist 
attack at Queen Alia International Airport, and charged five 
defendants with preparing to cross illegally into Syria en 
route to join anti-U.S. insurgents in Iraq.  The Mansurah 
Sect defendants claimed that their confessions were extracted 
under duress.  END SUMMARY. 
 
RISHAWI TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. On May 10, Hussein Masri, the lawyer representing Sajida 
Rishawi - - the Iraqi woman standing trial in connection with 
last November,s hotel bombings (ref A) -- said that his 
client intends to plead not guilty.  He added that he does 
not think Rishawi is mentally sound, and that he plans to ask 
for a psychological evaluation to determine if she is fit to 
stand trial.  Masri also told reporters that her confession 
was "void" as it was "forced" from her by harsh interrogation 
procedures.  NOTE: In a live confession aired on Jordanian 
television, the 35-year-old Iraqi national confessed she 
married her husband to enter Jordan and launch a suicide 
attack.  END NOTE.  The SSC appointed Masri to represent 
Rishawi after the Jordan Bar Association refused to name a 
defense attorney (ref B).  Rishawi is charged with conspiracy 
to carry out terrorist acts and the illegal possession of 
weapons and explosives.  If found guilty she could be 
sentenced to death. 
 
¶3. Security officials testifying against Rishawi on June 12 
stated that DNA samples taken from Rishawi matched blood and 
hair samples found at the house rented by the hotel bombing 
perpetrators, thereby conclusively linking her with the 
bombers.  Major Majid Bdour, Major Ayman Thuneibat and Major 
Muhanad Salim, from the Public Security Department,s 
criminal lab, also recounted the procedures adopted by the 
authorities at the explosion scenes on the night of the 
bombings.  Additional prosecution witnesses are expected to 
testify as the case proceeds. 
 
AQABA ROCKET ATTACK CASE CONTINUES 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶4. On June 21, security officials testified against six men 
accused of firing rockets at two U.S. Navy vessels in Aqaba 
in August 2005.  Private First Class Mohammad Ali testified 
that he searched the vehicle of Syrian defendant Mohammad 
Sahli a week before the attack and had found a "strange 
device," but let Sahli go after running his name through a 
database.  Pathologist Damen Abbadi - who performed an 
autopsy on the Jordanian soldier killed during the attack - 
testified that the soldier died from internal bleeding 
resulting from wounds he sustained in the incident.  The 
judge adjourned the trial until early July, when additional 
witnesses will testify.  A total of 12 defendants are being 
tried in the case - six defendants remain at large and are 
being tried in absentia (ref B). 
 
JAYOUSI PRISON-BREAK TRIAL OPENS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5. The SSC began hearings on June 18 for nine defendants 
accused of attempting to help Azmi Jayousi, who was sentenced 
to death in February for plotting a failed chemical attack 
(ref C), escape from prison. Jayousi and six members of a 
group who allegedly planned his breakout from Suwaqa prison 
(south of Amman) at the beginning of March were present at 
the trial, while defendants Mohammed Abu Darwish and Suleiman 
al-Injadi were tried in absentia, according to press.  The 
court adjourned the trial after the defendants complained 
that they could not afford a lawyer.  They face charges 
including possession of automatic weapons without a permit 
and attempting to free a death-row convict (ref B). 
 
FIVE ON TRIAL FOR PLOTS AGAINST ISRAEL 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. The SSC began the trial on May 14 of five Jordanians who 
were arrested in January for plotting to infiltrate and carry 
out attacks in Israel, and for possession of automatic 
weapons to carry out illicit acts.  If found guilty, the 
defendants could face the death penalty.  The case was 
adjourned minutes after it opened because three of the 
suspects had no defense lawyers.  According to the charge 
sheet, alleged ringleader Khaled Mohammad, 29, recruited the 
others and plotted "to infiltrate Israel to carry out a 
military operation against Jews" after failing to join the 
insurgency in Iraq.  Mohammad allegedly sold his wife's 
jewelry to buy three Kalashnikov assault rifles, which he 
used to train his accomplices. 
 
SUSPECTS INDICTED FOR AIRPORT ATTACK PLOT 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. On June 6, the SSC indicted seven Iraqi, Libyan and Saudi 
suspects for plotting an Al-Qaeda linked 
terrorist attack at Queen Alia International Airport.  The 
suspects, including three who remain at large, were charged 
on two counts of "possessing unlicensed explosives for use in 
illicit means, and conspiracy to carry out terrorist 
attacks", judicial sources told press.  No date has been set 
for the trial.  The prosecution claims that the defendants - 
who could face the death penalty - had also planned to target 
hotels located at the Dead Sea and at Aqaba "because they 
were frequented by Americans and Jews."Authorities seized 3.6 
kilograms of PE-4A heavy explosives when they arrested four 
of the suspects in early March.  According to court 
documents, the defendants began plotting to carry out attacks 
last year during meetings both in Jordan and Syria, and 
through communications on the Internet. 
 
FIVE CHARGED WITH PLOTTING TO JOIN IRAQ INSURGENTS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8. Jordan's state prosecutor on June 6 charged five suspects, 
including Omar Jamil Nazzal al-Khalayleh -- a cousin of Abu 
Mus,ab Al-Zarqawi -- with preparing to cross illegally into 
Syria en route to joining anti-U.S. insurgents in Iraq.  The 
suspects, all Jordanians, are charged with carrying out 
activity aimed at undermining ties with a foreign nation, 
attempting an illegal crossing, and abetting such an attempt. 
 The suspects, if found guilty, could face prison sentences 
of up to 15 years. 
 
AL-MANSURAH DEFENDANTS RETRACT CONFESSIONS 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶9. On May 9, defendants in the Al-Ta'ifah Al-Mansurah 
(Victorious Sect Organization) recanted their confessions, 
which they claimed "were extracted under physical and moral 
duress."  Lawyers for the defendants called for acquitting 
their clients for lack of evidence.  Indicted in mid-March, 
the eight defendants are charged with plotting to carry out 
terrorist acts, affiliation with an illegal organization, and 
carrying out acts that could undermine Jordan,s relations 
with a foreign country (ref D).  According to the charge 
sheet, the defendants planned to carry out military actions 
against U.S. trainers and Iraqi police cadets at the Jordan 
International Police Training Center. 
Rubinstein