Jordan Times
Saturday, April 3, 1999
Government studying release of some Arab Afghans
By Tareq Ayyoub
AMMAN — The government is discussing releasing some prisoners who were not included in the general amnesty signed by His Majesty King Abdullah last month.
Those involved in the case that came to be known as the Arab Afghans are included in the discussion, Justice Minister Hamzeh Haddad said Friday.
Haddad said he will submit a report to Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, who instructed the minister to thoroughly study their charges and sentences.
The minister told the Jordan Times that all members of the group had been charged with “planning terrorist acts and the possession of explosives.”
The general amnesty, endorsed by Parliament last month, excluded those charged with committing terrorist acts.
Several thousands have benefited from the amnesty, but those convicted of theft, bribery, embezzlement, premeditated murders, espionage and slavery remain accountable to the law.
Following a thorough study of the files, Haddad said he believes that at least one group member, whom he did not name, might be eligible for the amnesty “because he was not charged with terrorist acts.”
“I think these people need a special amnesty which must be authorised by His Majesty King Abdullah,” the minister said.
The 18-member group was accused in 1995 of plotting and carrying out bomb attacks in public places and of planning to assassinate Jordanian and Palestinian peace negotiators with Israel.
Eleven members were sentenced to death, and the remaining seven were given different jail terms. The death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court of Justice in 1995.
During the trial, the State Security Court cleared Mohammad Khalifah, a Saudi national, who was accused of financing the group, which was led by Abdullah Hashaika.
The group's name stemmed from their purported links with Arab volunteers who fought Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the eight-year-old invasion of Soviet Union of Afghanistan.
On Thursday the families of the Arab Afghans staged a sit-in demanding the release of their kin. They later met with Haddad to press for their release.
The minister said he will study the file of another six prisoners convicted of the attack on intelligence office in Baqaa Refugee Camp in 1996, who also were not included in the amnesty.
During last month's amnesty, several prisoners involved in armed attacks, possession of explosives and members of an illegal political party who were sentenced to different jail terms, were released in line with the amnesty.
News reports in the Arab press indicated that opposition leaders are preparing to petition the government to include a Jordanian soldier who was convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls. In 1997, the State Security Court sentenced Ahmad Dakamseh to life imprisonment with hard labour for killing the girls, who were on a field trip to the Peace Park in Baqoura in March 1997.
AMMAN — The government is discussing releasing some prisoners who were not included in the general amnesty signed by His Majesty King Abdullah last month.
Those involved in the case that came to be known as the Arab Afghans are included in the discussion, Justice Minister Hamzeh Haddad said Friday.
Haddad said he will submit a report to Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, who instructed the minister to thoroughly study their charges and sentences.
The minister told the Jordan Times that all members of the group had been charged with “planning terrorist acts and the possession of explosives.”
The general amnesty, endorsed by Parliament last month, excluded those charged with committing terrorist acts.
Several thousands have benefited from the amnesty, but those convicted of theft, bribery, embezzlement, premeditated murders, espionage and slavery remain accountable to the law.
Following a thorough study of the files, Haddad said he believes that at least one group member, whom he did not name, might be eligible for the amnesty “because he was not charged with terrorist acts.”
“I think these people need a special amnesty which must be authorised by His Majesty King Abdullah,” the minister said.
The 18-member group was accused in 1995 of plotting and carrying out bomb attacks in public places and of planning to assassinate Jordanian and Palestinian peace negotiators with Israel.
Eleven members were sentenced to death, and the remaining seven were given different jail terms. The death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court of Justice in 1995.
During the trial, the State Security Court cleared Mohammad Khalifah, a Saudi national, who was accused of financing the group, which was led by Abdullah Hashaika.
The group's name stemmed from their purported links with Arab volunteers who fought Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the eight-year-old invasion of Soviet Union of Afghanistan.
On Thursday the families of the Arab Afghans staged a sit-in demanding the release of their kin. They later met with Haddad to press for their release.
The minister said he will study the file of another six prisoners convicted of the attack on intelligence office in Baqaa Refugee Camp in 1996, who also were not included in the amnesty.
During last month's amnesty, several prisoners involved in armed attacks, possession of explosives and members of an illegal political party who were sentenced to different jail terms, were released in line with the amnesty.
News reports in the Arab press indicated that opposition leaders are preparing to petition the government to include a Jordanian soldier who was convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls. In 1997, the State Security Court sentenced Ahmad Dakamseh to life imprisonment with hard labour for killing the girls, who were on a field trip to the Peace Park in Baqoura in March 1997.
AMMAN — The government is discussing releasing some prisoners who were not included in the general amnesty signed by His Majesty King Abdullah last month.
Those involved in the case that came to be known as the Arab Afghans are included in the discussion, Justice Minister Hamzeh Haddad said Friday.
Haddad said he will submit a report to Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, who instructed the minister to thoroughly study their charges and sentences.
The minister told the Jordan Times that all members of the group had been charged with “planning terrorist acts and the possession of explosives.”
The general amnesty, endorsed by Parliament last month, excluded those charged with committing terrorist acts.
Several thousands have benefited from the amnesty, but those convicted of theft, bribery, embezzlement, premeditated murders, espionage and slavery remain accountable to the law.
Following a thorough study of the files, Haddad said he believes that at least one group member, whom he did not name, might be eligible for the amnesty “because he was not charged with terrorist acts.”
“I think these people need a special amnesty which must be authorised by His Majesty King Abdullah,” the minister said.
The 18-member group was accused in 1995 of plotting and carrying out bomb attacks in public places and of planning to assassinate Jordanian and Palestinian peace negotiators with Israel.
Eleven members were sentenced to death, and the remaining seven were given different jail terms. The death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court of Justice in 1995.
During the trial, the State Security Court cleared Mohammad Khalifah, a Saudi national, who was accused of financing the group, which was led by Abdullah Hashaika.
The group's name stemmed from their purported links with Arab volunteers who fought Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the eight-year-old invasion of Soviet Union of Afghanistan.
On Thursday the families of the Arab Afghans staged a sit-in demanding the release of their kin. They later met with Haddad to press for their release.
The minister said he will study the file of another six prisoners convicted of the attack on intelligence office in Baqaa Refugee Camp in 1996, who also were not included in the amnesty.
During last month's amnesty, several prisoners involved in armed attacks, possession of explosives and members of an illegal political party who were sentenced to different jail terms, were released in line with the amnesty.
News reports in the Arab press indicated that opposition leaders are preparing to petition the government to include a Jordanian soldier who was convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls. In 1997, the State Security Court sentenced Ahmad Dakamseh to life imprisonment with hard labour for killing the girls, who were on a field trip to the Peace Park in Baqoura in March 1997.
AMMAN — The government is discussing releasing some prisoners who were not included in the general amnesty signed by His Majesty King Abdullah last month.
Those involved in the case that came to be known as the Arab Afghans are included in the discussion, Justice Minister Hamzeh Haddad said Friday.
Haddad said he will submit a report to Prime Minister Abdur-Ra'uf S. Rawabdeh, who instructed the minister to thoroughly study their charges and sentences.
The minister told the Jordan Times that all members of the group had been charged with “planning terrorist acts and the possession of explosives.”
The general amnesty, endorsed by Parliament last month, excluded those charged with committing terrorist acts.
Several thousands have benefited from the amnesty, but those convicted of theft, bribery, embezzlement, premeditated murders, espionage and slavery remain accountable to the law.
Following a thorough study of the files, Haddad said he believes that at least one group member, whom he did not name, might be eligible for the amnesty “because he was not charged with terrorist acts.”
“I think these people need a special amnesty which must be authorised by His Majesty King Abdullah,” the minister said.
The 18-member group was accused in 1995 of plotting and carrying out bomb attacks in public places and of planning to assassinate Jordanian and Palestinian peace negotiators with Israel.
Eleven members were sentenced to death, and the remaining seven were given different jail terms. The death sentences were later commuted to life imprisonment by the High Court of Justice in 1995.
During the trial, the State Security Court cleared Mohammad Khalifah, a Saudi national, who was accused of financing the group, which was led by Abdullah Hashaika.
The group's name stemmed from their purported links with Arab volunteers who fought Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the eight-year-old invasion of Soviet Union of Afghanistan.
On Thursday the families of the Arab Afghans staged a sit-in demanding the release of their kin. They later met with Haddad to press for their release.
The minister said he will study the file of another six prisoners convicted of the attack on intelligence office in Baqaa Refugee Camp in 1996, who also were not included in the amnesty.
During last month's amnesty, several prisoners involved in armed attacks, possession of explosives and members of an illegal political party who were sentenced to different jail terms, were released in line with the amnesty.
News reports in the Arab press indicated that opposition leaders are preparing to petition the government to include a Jordanian soldier who was convicted of killing seven Israeli schoolgirls. In 1997, the State Security Court sentenced Ahmad Dakamseh to life imprisonment with hard labour for killing the girls, who were on a field trip to the Peace Park in Baqoura in March 1997.