UPDATE ON MAJID TALAT HAJBEH

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001028 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA AND L E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL JO SUBJECT: UPDATE ON MAJID TALAT HAJBEH REF: BELGRADE-RANA FEBRUARY 21ST E-MAIL Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) In response to Washington requests for a written Jordanian government statement concerning the legal standing of Majid Talat Hajbeh, a Jordanian citizen facing deportation from the U.S., Legatt met with GID officials in December 2006, and several times in January and February 2007. GID officials told Legatt that Hajbeh was not wanted in Jordan and that GID had no interest in detaining Hajbeh. This information has previously been shared with the Department. Note: Legatt requests that any information regarding Hajbeh obtained from GID remain confidential, and not be used in U.S. court proceedings. End Note. ¶2. (C) In response to ref, emboffs met March 1 with the Ministry of Justice's Director of International relations, Judge Ammar al-Husseini. Al-Husseini told emboffs that Hajbeh had a clean record in Jordan, but that if the USG wanted that information in writing, the Embassy would need to request it through the MFA. ¶3. (C) Poloff met with Mahmoud al-Hmoud, head of the Foreign Ministry's legal office, on March 6 to request the Ministry's assistance in acquiring official documentation regarding the legal status of Hajbeh. Hmoud told poloff that he would seek to confirm al-Husseini's conclusion. If Hajbeh indeed had no record of convictions, Hmoud said he would obtain for us from the General Intelligence Directorate (GID) a statement of good conduct. If Hmoud found a record of a conviction, the MFA would inform us of this by diplomatic note. RUBINSTEIN