GOJ MOVES AGAINST ARMED GROUP IN MA'AN; CURFEW,

S E C R E T AMMAN 006650

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/11/2012
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER ASEC JO
SUBJECT: GOJ MOVES AGAINST ARMED GROUP IN MA'AN; CURFEW,
HOUSE TO HOUSE SEARCHES CONTINUE

REF: AMMAN 6535

Classified By: DCM GREGORY L. BERRY. REASONS: 1.5 (B) and (D).


1. (S) SUMMARY. As of mid-day November 12, the search for
members of an armed Islamic group in the southern Jordanian
city of Ma'an continues. Jordanian security forces entered
Ma'an on November 10 after a heavily armed gang refused to
give up its leader Mohammad Shalibi (aka Abu Sayyaf)
(reftel). In ensuing gun battles, at least four individuals
associated with the group and a PSD warrant officer were
killed, and several on both sides were wounded. The group
appears to be associated with the Islamic group
Takfir-al-Hijra. According to the GOJ, calm has been
restored to the city, although the operation to find Shalibi
continues with heavily armed gunmen still at large and the
security services on shoot-to-kill orders. The city remains
under curfew. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU). On November 10, GOJ security forces entered
Ma'an. Upon entering the city to conduct a house to house
search for Abu Sayyaf, GOJ forces were apparently confronted
by the armed supporters of Abu Sayyaf, and gunfire ensued.
According to media reports, four from Abu Sayyaf's group and
one PSD warrant officer were confirmed killed, and there were
additional casualties on both sides. Road blocks were put in
place around the city, and the Desert Highway north and south
of Ma'an was closed.


3. (S) On November 12, Int Min Qaftan Majali announced that
"calm had been restored to Ma'an." The GOJ reported that 25
arrests were made, among them Egyptians and Iraqis who
allegedly were caught attempting to smuggle weapons to the
Ma'an gang. Abu Sayyaf and several compatriots, reportedly
armed with RPGs and machine guns, remain at large. There are
unconfirmed (comment: and unlikely) rumors that Abu Sayyaf
escaped to Aqaba. A curfew on city residents continues.


4. (C). Al-Jazeera reported Nov 11 that one of their
correspondents, Yasser Abu Halale, as well as Arab al-Youm
reporter Samer Abu Halale, was arrested. Yasser Abu Halale
was reportedly charged with violating the GOJ-imposed ban on
reporting for al-Jazeera. The regional and international
media has issued spurious reports linking the Ma'an situation
with the assassination of Larry Foley and/or with potential
forthcoming USG operations in Iraq.


5. (S) Former Member of Parliament Dr. Abdullah Al-Jazi, a
leading member of a pro-regime Haweitat tribe located outside
of Ma'an, said Ma'an has had to endure this group of
"smugglers and criminals" for years, and most people in Ma'an
will be happy to see them gone. Dr. Al-Jazi was confident
that the GOJ would be able to manage the situation in the
short-term, but was not confident that the PM is committed to
resuscitating the poverty stricken area of Ma'an in the
long-term.


6. (S) COMMENT. The situation in Ma'an appears to be a
localized incident, and there are no current indications that
the challenge to the GOJ there is spreading elsewhere. On
the street, rumors surrounding the "real reason" for the
timing of the GOJ action in Ma'an persist, although most
people see the situation in Ma-an for what it appears to be:
a rebellious group of gangsters wrongfully challenging the
authority of the GOJ. With Abu Sayyaf and/or his men
possibly holed up in a situation akin to "Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid", additional casualties are possible. We
will continue to monitor the situation.
GNEHM