JORDANIAN EXTREMISTS SUSPECTED IN INFILTRATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006215

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2014
TAGS: ASEC PTER KISL IS JO
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN EXTREMISTS SUSPECTED IN INFILTRATION
ATTEMPT INTO ISRAEL

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b)(d)


1. (C) On July 19 at approximately 0600 local time,
Jordanian border security forces detected four individuals
attempting to infiltrate northern Israel from Jordanian
territory near Waqqas. A siege ensued when the gunmen
refused orders to surrender and opened fire on the Jordanian
security forces. The gunmen also fired shots that injured an
Israeli soldier on patrol across the border. The Jordanian
security forces returned fire on the gunmen, killing two,
critically injuring a third, and capturing a fourth,
according to Post security contacts.


2. (C) Royal Court Minister Samir Rifai told Charge on July
22 that the gunmen were Jordanian-Palestinian Takfiris from
northern Jordan. He lamented that the GOJ needed to take a
stronger position against radical Islam in Jordan, including
"cleaning out" the Education Ministry and schools of the
Islamist influence and better monitoring of incitement in
Jordan's mosques (septel will further explore this issue).


3. (C) Snippets of the incident were reported in the
Israeli and Jordanian press, prompting a strong reaction from
Jordan's main political opposition. Never one to miss an
opportunity to criticize the government, the Islamic Action
Front on July 20 continued a string of attacks on the GOJ by
condemning the GOJ's handling of the incident, saying it
should have avoided casualties and dealt with the situation
"by other means."


4. (C) Meanwhile, rumors about the incident are swirling in
Amman. In a separate conversation, Israel's DCM in Amman
told Charge that the gunmen, while local, may have been paid
and supported by Lebanese Hizballah. He alleged that a fifth
person may have escaped during the encounter. He
acknowledged that Israel had not yet received a readout of
the Jordanians' investigation. (Note: We have not heard the
allegation of a Hizballah connection to this incident from
any other source).
HALE