US embassy cable - 03AMMAN6232

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006232 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, KISL, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN FORCES CAPTURE FUGITIVE EXTREMIST BEHIND 
NOVEMBER 2002 MA'AN UPRISING 
 
REF: AMMAN 05333 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) Capping a ten-month manhunt, Jordanian security forces 
on September 27 captured one of its most-wanted fugitives, 
local Islamic extremist Muhammad Ahmad al-Shalabi (aka Abu 
Sayyaf), and an accomplice, 'Umar Ghazi al-Bazayi'ah, in the 
northeastern town of Mafraq.  Charges against al-Shalabi 
range from plotting terrorist attacks against U.S. and 
Jordanian interests to inciting armed clashes with security 
forces in the southern city of Ma'an, al-Shalabi's hometown, 
in November 2002. 
 
2. (U) Al-Shalabi is one of 13 individuals--known locally as 
the Mafraq cell--charged with plotting attacks against US and 
Jordanian targets in December 2002 (ref).  The arrests 
occurred one day before their trial in absentia for their 
alleged involvement in this plot was to begin in the State 
Security Court. 
 
3. (C) The government accuses al-Shalabi of leading a gang of 
"armed bandits" that instigated clashes with police in the 
southern city of Ma'an last November, resulting in six dead, 
including two police officers, the wounding of many others, 
including Ma'an's police chief, and the destruction of 
property.  The clashes began when al-Shalabi resisted police 
efforts to interrogate him in the aftermath of USAID official 
Laurence Foley's assassination in October 2002.  Al-Shalabi 
was not listed among the perpetrators of the Foley 
assassination prosecuted by the GOJ, and we know of no 
information linking him to that event. 
 
4. (U) Information Minister Nabil Sharif said that security 
forces arrested al-Shalabi and al-Bazayi'ah "in a clean and 
successful operation that did not witness any shootings or 
injuries."  Press reports indicate that the situation in 
Ma'an was quiet the day after news of al-Shalabi's arrest 
broke. 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  Ma'an, an economically deprived and 
conservative southern town whose people rely heavily on the 
trucking trade between Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, has 
been the scene of four violent episodes between local 
townspeople and government forces since 1989.  The fighting 
in November 2002 sparked debate within Jordan about the 
government's handling of the situation.  The arrests bring to 
a close the intense manhunt and one chapter of this ongoing 
saga, but unease over this rebellious town will continue. 
 
6.  (C) The GOJ has not made public the details of 
al-Shalabi's role in the Mafraq cell plot against U.S. and 
Jordanian interests.  The detainees probably will appear 
before the Security Court once their interrogation is 
complete and at that point, more details about the charges 
probably will be released. 
GNEHM