JORDAN AWAITS VERDICTS IN CASES TIED TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002633

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2014
TAGS: ASEC PTER JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN AWAITS VERDICTS IN CASES TIED TO
AL-QAI'DA/ZARQAWI NETWORK

REF: A. AMMAN 2555


B. AMMAN 2594

C. AMMAN 1870

Classified By: DCM David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) Jordan's high-profile prosecution of suspected
terrorists linked to al-Qa'ida affiliate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
is moving forward against the backdrop of intense security
operations to disrupt a plot by his associates in early April
(refs a and b). A verdict is expected on April 6 in the
trial of 11 men accused of assassinating USAID official
Lawrence Foley. The case of Zarqawi's nephew, on trial with
two others for hatching a plot against U.S. and Israeli
tourists, also is wrapping up; the judge adjourned on March
22 to contemplate his verdict. Meanwhile, the prosecutor in
the case of suspected Ansar al-Islam/al-Qa'ida member Ahmad
al-Riyati and several cohorts called for their conviction on
all counts. In all three cases, Zarqawi is being tried in
absentia. While there is no definitive link between the
trials and the current threat, Jordan's aggressive
counterterrorism actions against Zarqawi's network, coupled
with close cooperative ties with the United States, combine
to make the GOJ and U.S. interests in Jordan increasingly
attractive targets. End Summary.

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VERDICT IN FOLEY ASSASSINATION TRIAL IMMINENT
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2. (U) The State Security Court is expected on April 6 to
issue a verdict in the case of 11 men charged with the
October 2002 murder of U.S. diplomat Lawrence Foley in front
of his Amman home. Five of the 11 are in custody, including
the alleged triggerman, Libyan national Salem Bin Suweid (ref
c). Six others, including al-Qai'da affiliate and Jordanian
extremist Ahmad Fadhil al-Khalaylah (aka Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi) are being tried in absentia. Prosecutors say the
group had been plotting attacks against U.S. and Israeli
interests in Jordan since 1997, and also targeted Jordanian
intelligence officers. The defendants maintain their
innocence and claim they were tortured in custody,
foreshadowing an almost certain appeal if found guilty.

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JUDGE CONSIDERS VERDICT IN CASE AGAINST ZARQAWI'S NEPHEW
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3. (U) The attorney for three men accused of plotting
against U.S. and Israeli tourists in Jordan under Zarqawi's
guidance concluded his presentation on March 22 with a
request that the court acquit his clients on all charges.
The most prominent of the three is Omar al-Khalaylah,
Zarqawi's nephew (ref c). According to the prosecution's
charge sheet, Zarqawi told his nephew that the Jordanian
government and its security forces were "nonbelievers" and
urged him "to carry out armed operations against American and
Jewish tourists" in Jordan. The attorney also contested the
interrogation procedures, claiming his clients' confessions
were extracted under duress. Judge Bqour adjourned the
sessions indefinitely to consider his verdict in the case.

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RIYATI TRIAL TO RESUME APRIL 20
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4. (U) The prosecution in the case of Jordanian national
Ahmad al-Riyati, charged with belonging to the outlawed Ansar
al-Islam organization and having ties to al-Qa'ida, on March
29 asked the Court to convict the defendants on all charges.
The group is accused of plotting attacks against local and
U.S. targets in Jordan (ref c). The court is trying 14
others in absentia, including Zarqawi and Ansar al-Islam's
purported spiritual leader Mullah Krekar. However, the
prosecutor informed the court that six being tried in
absentia (not Zarqawi or Krekar) had died outside Jordan.
Riyati has retracted his previous confessions in court
claiming torture and duress while held by American and
Kurdish forces after his capture in Iraq, and by Jordanian
authorities after they took custody of him last year. The
court has adjourned until April 20.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) There is no indication at this point that Jordan's
high-profile prosecution of suspected al-Qa'ida/Zarqawi
affiliates is directly linked to the current threat in Amman.
However, the GOJ's aggressive tactics against al-Qai'da
suspects and Zarqawi's network in particular, coupled with
Jordan's strong cooperative CT relationship with the United
States, increases the appeal of targeting GOJ facilities and
U.S. interests in Jordan. Guilty verdicts will only provide
Zarqawi and his henchmen further incentive to plot more
operations.

Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page.
GNEHM