Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AMMAN7553
2006-10-02 15:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
PARDONS FOR TWO ISLAMIST POLITICIANS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #7553 2751521 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 021521Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4561 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007553
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2011
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM KISL JO
SUBJECT: PARDONS FOR TWO ISLAMIST POLITICIANS
REF: A. AMMAN 7420
B. AMMAN 4396
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 007553
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2011
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM KISL JO
SUBJECT: PARDONS FOR TWO ISLAMIST POLITICIANS
REF: A. AMMAN 7420
B. AMMAN 4396
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (D)
1. (U) King Abdullah pardoned jailed Islamists Muhammad Abu
Fares and Ali Abul Sukkar on September 30. The two were
imprisoned for "inciting sectarianism" for statements they
made after the death of Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi in June (ref
B). They also lost their seats in the Chamber of Deputies
upon their conviction, and despite the pardon they remain
ineligible to hold office.
2. (U) Muhammad Abu Fares told media shortly after his
release that "politics is upholding the Islamic nation's
interests and mobilizing it for jihad against the Jews and
Americans wherever they occupy Muslim lands. We did so
before we became MPs and we will continue to do so when we
are out of parliament."
3. (C) Comment: With the pardons, the GOJ is reciprocating
the Islamist movement's decisions (ref A) to back away from
confrontation. Abu Fares is likely to clash with the more
moderate faction that reasserted its control over the
movement during his time in jail.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
Hale
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2011
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM KISL JO
SUBJECT: PARDONS FOR TWO ISLAMIST POLITICIANS
REF: A. AMMAN 7420
B. AMMAN 4396
Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (D)
1. (U) King Abdullah pardoned jailed Islamists Muhammad Abu
Fares and Ali Abul Sukkar on September 30. The two were
imprisoned for "inciting sectarianism" for statements they
made after the death of Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi in June (ref
B). They also lost their seats in the Chamber of Deputies
upon their conviction, and despite the pardon they remain
ineligible to hold office.
2. (U) Muhammad Abu Fares told media shortly after his
release that "politics is upholding the Islamic nation's
interests and mobilizing it for jihad against the Jews and
Americans wherever they occupy Muslim lands. We did so
before we became MPs and we will continue to do so when we
are out of parliament."
3. (C) Comment: With the pardons, the GOJ is reciprocating
the Islamist movement's decisions (ref A) to back away from
confrontation. Abu Fares is likely to clash with the more
moderate faction that reasserted its control over the
movement during his time in jail.
Visit Amman's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/
Hale