Jordan Times
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
2 Jordanians held in
Guantanamo to be released soon — Khatib
By Mohammad Ben Hussein
AMMAN — Foreign minister Abdul Ilah Khatib on Tuesday told deputies that two
Jordanians held in Guantanamo Bay would be released soon, the Jordan News
Agency, Petra, reported.
Following the meeting with Khatib, Deputy Marwan Sultan, head of the Lower House
Public Freedoms Committee, told reporters that five Jordanian prisoners were
being held in Guantanamo Bay and the government pledged to work on releasing all
of them.
“Two prisoners in Guantanamo will be released as soon as related procedures are
finalised,” Petra quoted Khatib as telling the committee members.
The foreign minister added that the government is doing its best to secure the
release of Jordanian prisoners in Israel through diplomatic channels.
“The issue of our prisoners in Israel is a priority for us,” Khatib said, noting
that progress has been achieved regarding the situation of several prisoners,
who “are expected to be released in a short period of time.”
At least four prisoners are expected to be freed soon, including Jordan’s
longest serving prisoner in Israel, Sultan Ajlouni.
There are at least 37 Jordanian nationals serving prison terms in Israel,
including one woman, Ahlam Shahadeh, 26, who received 16 life sentences for her
role in a suicide attack on a pizza parlour in Jerusalem in August 2001.
On the situation of Jordanian prisoners in Iraq, Khatib said exact figures were
not available, but the government was able to secure the release of half the
Jordanians in Iraqi prisons and talks with the Iraqi side were continuing to
secure the release of the remaining detainees.
Sultan told journalists yesterday that several Jordanians were also being held
in the Philippines on terrorism-related charges, and called on the government to
work on releasing them soon.
Meanwhile, the Lower House is scheduled to continue deliberating the
municipalities draft law today to pave the way for nationwide municipal
elections later this year.
Several important articles were approved during Sunday’s session, including a
quota that grants women 20 per cent of municipal council seats.
Deputies are expected to endorse an article that enables voters to directly
elect mayors outside Amman. Other articles to be discussed include one that
authorises citizens aged 18 and over to take part in the elections.