AMCIT RAED HIJAZI DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO

UNCLAS AMMAN 008636

SIPDIS

FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA, NEA/ELA AND NEA/PA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC PREL PTER CJAN JO HIJAZI RAED
SUBJECT: AMCIT RAED HIJAZI DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO
TWENTY YEARS WITH LABOR

REF: A) AMMAN 8601
B) 03 AMMAN 8171
C) 03 AMMAN 4467 AND PREVIOUS


1. (U) AS REPORTED REF A, THE JORDAN TIMES EDITION OF
OCTOBER 5, 2004 REPORTED THAT QUOTE THE CASSATION COURT
ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2004, COMMUTED THE DEATH SENTENCE
AGAINST (AMCIT/JORDANIAN) RAED HIJAZI, CONVICTED OF
PLOTTING TERROR ACTS, TO TWENTY YEARS IN JAIL WITH LABOR
AND THAT THE COURT'S DECISION IS FINAL AND CANNOT BE
APPEALED. THE COURT UPHELD THE GUILTY VERDICT ISSUED BY
THE STATE SECURITY COURT AGAINST HIJAZI. IT ATTRIBUTED
THE REDUCTION OF THE SENTENCE TO THE FACT THAT HIJAZI DID
NOT IMPLEMENT HIS PLANS FOR THE SAKE OF WHICH HE
POSSESSED WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES, ACCORDING TO COURT
DOCUMENTS END QUOTE.


2. (U) IN SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH CONSULAR STAFF,
HIJAZI'S LAWYER JALAL TAQSH CONFIRMED THE NEWSPAPER
REPORT. HE CLARIFIED THAT UNDER JORDANIAN PENAL
REGULATIONS, A "YEAR" OF IMPRISONMENT IS IN PRACTICE NINE
MONTHS LONG, SO HIJAZI'S SENTENCE AMOUNTS TO 15 CALENDAR
YEARS. AS HIJAZI HAS ALREADY SERVED FOUR CALENDAR YEARS,
HE HAS 11 CALENDAR YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT REMAINING,
ABSENT ANY POSSIBLE PARDON DURING THAT TIME. TAQSH
AFFIRMED THAT THIS COURT PROCEEDING IS FINAL, AND THAT NO
MORE APPEALS FROM HIJAZI WILL BE HEARD.


HALE