JORDAN INDICTS ZARQAWI - COMMUTES HIJAZI DEATH

UNCLAS AMMAN 008601

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER ASEC JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN INDICTS ZARQAWI - COMMUTES HIJAZI DEATH
SENTENCE

REF: A. AMMAN 7960


B. AMMAN 6212

C. AMMAN 3352

D. AMMAN 2645

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) The Jordanian State Security Court indicted Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi and 12 others October 17 for plotting to bomb the
U.S. Embassy and GOJ targets in Amman. Separately, the Court
of Cassation commuted the death sentence of Raed Hijazi
October 11 to 20 years with labor. End Summary.

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ZARQAWI INDICTMENT
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2. (U) The indictment of Jordanian fugitive Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi and 12 associates by the State Security Court
received front-page coverage in the local press. The court
will try Zarqawi and three other suspects in absentia, along
with the remaining nine suspects currently in Jordanian
custody. The trial is expected to begin in November. In
April, Zarqawi received a death sentence in absentia for his
role in the October 2002 assassination of USAID official
Laurence Foley.

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HIJAZI DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED
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3. (U) The Court of Cassation commuted the death sentence of
convicted terrorist Raed Hijazi October 11 to 20 years with
labor. Originally convicted in September 2000 for plotting
terrorist attacks during the millennium celebrations, Hijazi
appealed multiple times. The October 11 decision of the Court
of Cassation is final and can not be appealed. Hijazi holds
Jordanian and American citizenship as he was born in San
Jose, California.


4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

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