US embassy cable - 03AMMAN5333

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 005333 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, KISL, JO 
SUBJECT: MILITARY PROSECUTORS FORMALLY CHARGE 13 IN 2002 
PLOT AGAINST US, JORDANIAN INTERESTS 
 
Classified By: Charge David Hale for Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) The Jordanian State Security Court on August 14 
formally charged 13 individuals  accused of plotting attacks 
against U.S. and Jordanian targets late last year. Jordanian 
authorities in December 2002 arrested nine individuals, known 
locally as the Mafraq cell, for allegedly planning attacks 
against the U.S. Embassy in Amman and Jordanian military 
bases they believed were hosting U.S. military personnel. The 
group included ten Jordanians and three Saudis.  Four 
individuals named in the indictment remain at large. The case 
is slated to begin in September. 
 
2. (U) According to the indictment, the mastermind of the 
plot is a Jordanian schoolteacher from Mafraq, Faisal 
Khalidi. Two of the Saudi plotters served as conduits of 
funds from Saudi Arabia for the operations. The group opted 
for targets in Jordan when its original plan to send 
operatives to fight U.S. forces in Afghanistan encountered 
travel difficulties.  Press indicates that during the 
December raids, security officials also seized weapons and 
ammunition that the plotters smuggled from Iraq via a 
Jordanian truck driver, who also is in custody. 
 
3. (C) The suspects profess to share a similar ideology with 
al-Qa'ida, and according to Jordanian press, one of the 
plotters is a cousin of al-Qa'ida associate Abu Mus'ab 
al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian citizen.  However, Jordanian 
authorities have been unable to confirm a link between the 
Mafraq cell and al-Qa'ida. 
 
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Comment 
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4. (C) As often happens in Jordan, press reports of the 
arrests were several months behind the arrests themselves. 
The news of the arrests hit the press only when the 
indictment was announced.  The GOJ has coordinated its 
response to this threat with us at every step. 
 
 
 
 
 
HALE