Jordan Times
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Trial of chemical attack
plotters opens
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN — The State Security Court on Wednesday adjourned the case of nine men
accused of plotting the first-ever Al Qaeda chemical attack in Jordan until Dec.
22, because the defendants refused to respond to the tribunal's questions “until
their prison conditions were improved.”
“We do not want to respond to any of your questions until our families are
allowed to visit us and we are moved from isolated cells,” the main suspect in
the case, Azmi Jaiousi, told the tribunal.
Presiding Judge Fawaz Bqour told Jaiousi the court finds “no problem in allowing
your families to visit you.”
“We will look into this matter and we will allow your families to visit you in
the prison,” Judge Bqour said.
Six of the nine defendants refused to respond to Judge Bqour's question of
whether or not they had appointed lawyers to represent them in the case as
stipulated in the law.
Attorney Younes Arab informed the tribunal that he would represent Jamal
Mohammad, while attorney Jihad Qatawneh said he would defend Mohammad Salmeh.
Defendant Husni Sharif said he had appointed a lawyer who would represent him in
the next court session. The tribunal decided to adjourn the case until next
Wednesday to allow the defendants the opportunity to appoint attorneys to
represent them.
If they do not appoint lawyers by that time, the court will assign lawyers to
represent them in the case.
The defendants were brought into the courtroom under strict security measures
with a helicopter escorting the prison vehicles that transported the defendants
from the prison to the courtroom in Marka.
The nine men are part of a group of 13 people who are charged with plotting to
carry out terrorist attacks, possessing and manufacturing explosives with
illicit intent, possessing an automatic weapon with the intent of using it
illegally and possessing unlicensed guns.
Four are being tried in absentia, including fugitive Abu Musab Zarqawi.
Other charges include sheltering a wanted person and belonging to an illegal
organisation, Kataeb Al Tawhid (Battalions of Monotheism), which is believed to
be linked to Al Qaeda network.
If convicted of the charges, some of the defendants could receive the death
penalty.
The prosecution charge sheet said in 1999 Jaiousi left the Kingdom and went to
Afghanistan where he received training on how to manufacture explosives. While
he was in Afghanistan, he met Zarqawi.
According to the charge sheet, Jaiousi returned to Jordan and recruited some of
the defendants to “terrify people by using cars laden with explosives as a means
to accomplish their goals.”
The group decided to launch a rocket attack on the Israeli Red Sea resort of
Eilat from Aqaba Port but changed their plans and decided to strike the premises
of the General Intelligence Department, according to the charge sheet. The sheet
added that Jaiousi asked Zarqawi to “send him money, 10 martyrs, weapons and
rockets to accomplish the mission.”
Jaiousi used the money to buy vehicles, 950 gallons of oxygen and other chemical
substances that the group planned to use in the attack.
The group's plans were aborted by security forces in April and May of 2004.
Four others, believed to be part of the group, were killed by security forces in
a shootout in an Amman neighburhood.