Jordan Times
Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Anti-terrorism bill will not limit public freedoms — Judeh
By Khaled Nuaimat
AMMAN — The objective of the draft anti-terrorism law is not to restrict public freedoms, but to protect the national security, according to a statement by Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh on Monday.
Judeh told reporters during a weekly press conference that saying that this law would limit the public freedoms “is far from the truth, as well as from the government’s objectives...”
Political parties, professional associations and human rights organisations here opposed the draft law, which was announced by the government a week after the Nov. 9 bombings of three Amman hotels, claiming that it would restrict the public freedoms.
The spokesperson said on Monday that events such as the bombings in the capital require precautionary measures to be taken by the government to prevent future attacks.
He said the current Penal Code, under which suspects may be held for a period of 24 hours after which a court order is required authorising further detention, “deals with the crimes after they occur.”
The anti-terrorism bill contains measures to identify, prosecute and convict terrorists and provides law enforcement and security agencies with powers to gather intelligence and prosecute suspected terrorists, including placing individuals under tight surveillance, seizing financial assets and barring them from travel.
The bill, completed by the government last week, will be debated during next month’s extraordinary session of Parliament.
The draft proposal, which sets harsh penalties for anyone who condones or supports acts of terrorism, is expected to be given urgency status.
Meanwhile, Judeh described the meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday as an “important” one.
He noted that meetings that bring all sides to the negotiating table with regards to Palestinian interests and to the roadmap is in line with the Jordanian position, adding that this is what His Majesty King Abdullah expressed to US President George Bush during their meeting last week, as well as in the Monarch’s letter to Bush before his meeting with Olmert earlier last month.