Jordan Times
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Prosecution witnesses testify
in 'fighting cell' case
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — The State Security Court on Wednesday heard two prosecution witnesses in
the case of four men charged with plotting attacks against American and Israeli
targets in the Kingdom in 2003.
The four men, including one who is being tried in absentia, formed a “fighting
cell” to attack American and Jewish interests in the Kingdom, according to the
charge sheet.
The two prosecution witnesses told the tribunal yesterday that the defendants
informed them they had asked several religious scholars for a fatwa (Islamic
decree) in order to attack Americans and Jews.
The defendants, who are also charged with illegal possession of a machinegun,
were arrested in December 2003 before committing any of their planned acts, the
charge sheet added.
Judge Bqour adjourned the session until April 21 to hear the last three
prosecution witnesses in the case.
A judicial source told The Jordan Times yesterday that the State Security Court
postponed the case of another group of men standing trial for plotting military
operations against American and Israeli targets in the Kingdom, until April 20.
The men, dubbed by the press as “Obedience and Compliance,” are charged by the
prosecution with possession of an illegal weapon and ammunition with illicit
intent.
The prosecution charge sheet identified the defendants as Mohammad Hassan,
Mohammad Qassem, and Musa Hamdan.
A fourth defendant, Fursan Hassan, a ministry of finance employee, is being
tried in absentia on the same charges.
“The tribunal referred one of the defendants to a government medical committee
to determine his age, because he could not produce a birth certificate,” a
judicial source told The Jordan Times. The charge sheet said the defendants
“became religiously committed to repent their sins.”
After several meetings in a mosque in Zarqa, they decided to launch military
operations against Americans and Israelis in Jordan.
They bought a machinegun and trained on it but were apprehended by the
authorities before carrying out any attack.