US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2633

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002633 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN AWAITS VERDICTS IN CASES TIED TO 
AL-QAI'DA/ZARQAWI NETWORK 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 2555 
 
     B. AMMAN 2594 
     C. AMMAN 1870 
 
Classified By: DCM David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C)  Jordan's high-profile prosecution of suspected 
terrorists linked to al-Qa'ida affiliate Abu Musab al-Zarqawi 
is moving forward against the backdrop of intense security 
operations to disrupt a plot by his associates in early April 
(refs a and b).  A verdict is expected on April 6 in the 
trial of 11 men accused of assassinating USAID official 
Lawrence Foley.  The case of Zarqawi's nephew, on trial with 
two others for hatching a plot against U.S. and Israeli 
tourists, also is wrapping up; the judge adjourned on March 
22 to contemplate his verdict.  Meanwhile, the prosecutor in 
the case of suspected Ansar al-Islam/al-Qa'ida member Ahmad 
al-Riyati and several cohorts called for their conviction on 
all counts.  In all three cases, Zarqawi is being tried in 
absentia.  While there is no definitive link between the 
trials and the current threat, Jordan's aggressive 
counterterrorism actions against Zarqawi's network, coupled 
with close cooperative ties with the United States, combine 
to make the GOJ and U.S. interests in Jordan increasingly 
attractive targets.  End Summary. 
 
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VERDICT IN FOLEY ASSASSINATION TRIAL IMMINENT 
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2.  (U)  The State Security Court is expected on April 6 to 
issue a verdict in the case of 11 men charged with the 
October 2002 murder of U.S. diplomat Lawrence Foley in front 
of his Amman home.  Five of the 11 are in custody, including 
the alleged triggerman, Libyan national Salem Bin Suweid (ref 
c).  Six others, including al-Qai'da affiliate and Jordanian 
extremist Ahmad Fadhil al-Khalaylah (aka Abu Musab 
al-Zarqawi) are being tried in absentia.  Prosecutors say the 
group had been plotting attacks against U.S. and Israeli 
interests in Jordan since 1997, and also targeted Jordanian 
intelligence officers.  The defendants maintain their 
innocence and claim they were tortured in custody, 
foreshadowing an almost certain appeal if found guilty. 
 
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JUDGE CONSIDERS VERDICT IN CASE AGAINST ZARQAWI'S NEPHEW 
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3.  (U)  The attorney for three men accused of plotting 
against U.S. and Israeli tourists in Jordan under Zarqawi's 
guidance concluded his presentation on March 22 with a 
request that the court acquit his clients on all charges. 
The most prominent of the three is Omar al-Khalaylah, 
Zarqawi's nephew (ref c).  According to the prosecution's 
charge sheet, Zarqawi told his nephew that the Jordanian 
government and its security forces were "nonbelievers" and 
urged him "to carry out armed operations against American and 
Jewish tourists" in Jordan.  The attorney also contested the 
interrogation procedures, claiming his clients' confessions 
were extracted under duress.  Judge Bqour adjourned the 
sessions indefinitely to consider his verdict in the case. 
 
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RIYATI TRIAL TO RESUME APRIL 20 
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4.  (U)  The prosecution in the case of Jordanian national 
Ahmad al-Riyati, charged with belonging to the outlawed Ansar 
al-Islam organization and having ties to al-Qa'ida, on March 
29 asked the Court to convict the defendants on all charges. 
The group is accused of plotting attacks against local and 
U.S. targets in Jordan (ref c).  The court is trying 14 
others in absentia, including Zarqawi and Ansar al-Islam's 
purported spiritual leader Mullah Krekar.  However, the 
prosecutor informed the court that six being tried in 
absentia (not Zarqawi or Krekar) had died outside Jordan. 
Riyati has retracted his previous confessions in court 
claiming torture and duress while held by American and 
Kurdish forces after his capture in Iraq, and by Jordanian 
authorities after they took custody of him last year.  The 
court has adjourned until April 20. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  (C)  There is no indication at this point that Jordan's 
high-profile prosecution of suspected al-Qa'ida/Zarqawi 
affiliates is directly linked to the current threat in Amman. 
 However, the GOJ's aggressive tactics against al-Qai'da 
suspects and Zarqawi's network in particular, coupled with 
Jordan's strong cooperative CT relationship with the United 
States, increases the appeal of targeting GOJ facilities and 
U.S. interests in Jordan.  Guilty verdicts will only provide 
Zarqawi and his henchmen further incentive to plot more 
operations. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site 
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page. 
GNEHM