Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Islamist MPs plead not
guilty
Defence team walks out after tribunal rejects call for ‘judicial
break’
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — Three Islamist deputies on Monday pleaded
not guilty at their opening trial to charges of fuelling national discord and
inciting sectarianism.
At the beginning of the State Security Court (SSC) session, JBA President Saleh
Armouti, who led a 25-member defence team, demanded the immediate release of the
defendants on bail.
Armouti also contested the SSC’s jurisdiction, saying Islamic Action Front (IAF)
MPs Ali Abul Sukkar (Zarqa, Second District), Mohammad Abu Fares (Amman, Fifth
District) and Jaafar Hourani (Zarqa, Fourth District) should be tried in a civil
court.
The tribunal rejected both requests.
Four MPs were arrested on June 11, including Deputy Ibrahim Mashoukhi (Zarqa,
First District), who was released earlier this month, following their alleged
attendance at a condolence ceremony for Abu Mussab Zarqawi.
Zarqawi, who was killed in a US strike in Iraq in June, claimed responsibility
for the triple bombings in Amman last year that killed 60 people and injured
scores.
According to the indictment, Abu Fares and Abul Sukkar delivered a speech
praising Zarqawi, while Hourani listened without objecting to the content of the
speech.
Their visit and an interview with Al Arabiya satellite channel by Abu Fares
praising Zarqawi fuelled nationwide outrage and condemnation during the past
month.
Abu Fares allegedly told Al Arabiya that Zarqawi was a “martyr” and “holy
warrior,” while the victims of the Amman bombings were not.
On Monday, two Al Arabiya satellite channel employees took the witness stand to
testify for the prosecution.
Saad Silawi, a senior correspondent, told the court he edited the interview of
both Abul Sukkar and Abu Fares following their condolence visit to Zarqawi’s
family.
“Abul Sukkar said he... visited the condolence tent out of religious and social
duties,” the 43-year-old witness said.
Al Arabiya editor Abdul Ilah Khader, who interviewed both deputies, told the
court Abu Fares said Zarqawi was a martyr.
Meanwhile, defence team leader Armouti also demanded yesterday that the court be
adjourned until after the judicial break, which started on July 15 and ends in
early September, a 56-year-old annual tradition during which members of the
legal system suspend their work.
But the tribunal rejected their request prompting the defence team to walk out
of the court in protest.
“We declare our withdrawal from attending court sessions but not from the case,”
Armouti said as he left.
The court resumed proceedings, however, as the deputies charge is a misdemeanour
and does not necessitate the presence of an attorney in court, according to SSC
officials.
Clad in blue prison uniforms, the MPs were seated outside the dock and were
offered pens and papers to write notes following the withdrawal of their defence
team.
The MPs do not benefit from parliamentary immunity because the Lower House is
currently in recess.
The tribunal will continue hearing prosecution witnesses today.