WOULD-BE POTUS ASSASSINS

S E C R E T AMMAN 001056

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2017
TAGS: PTER PGOV PHUM DA JO
SUBJECT: WOULD-BE POTUS ASSASSINS

REF: A. AMMAN 1038


B. TD-314/91008-06

C. AMMAN 720

Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein for reasons 1.4 b and d


1. (SBU) Jordanian dailies carried more reports March 8 on
the opening of state security court (SSC) proceedings against
three men accused of a number of security offenses, including
plotting to assassinate President Bush during his visit to
Jordan in late November 2006. The three are Nidal Momani,
29, Sattam Zawahra, 28, and Tharwat Daraz, 24, all residents
of Zarqa. Prosecutors also accused them of plotting to
attack U.S. and Danish "embassies" in Amman, though Denmark
is represented here by a part-time honorary consul who works
out of his law office.


2. (C) Jordanian security services arrested the men in
October after they allegedly threw soft-drink bottles filled
with
gasoline at a brewery in Zarqa in a failed arson attempt.
After their capture, the allegedly admitted to police that
they had discussed among themselves obtaining automatic
weapons and explosives, and using them against President Bush,
who visited Amman November 29-30.


3. (S/NF) A GOJ entity briefed Embassy on the detentions in
mid-December (ref b).


4. (SBU) In line with past practice, the GOJ did not publicly
acknowledge the plot until the case reached the State
Security Court, where it becomes a matter of public record.
The defendants retained attorney Abdul Jabbar Abu Qulah who
pleaded their innocence, and charged that authorities
extracted the confessions under duress.


5. (C) Comment. Most trials here that include alleged
confessions to terrorism charges include claims that
authorities mistreated detainees. The GoJ states that
Islamist extremist groups train their members to make false
claims of mistreatment in the event they are captured (ref
C). End Comment.
RUBINSTEIN