US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6215

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006215 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2014 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, KISL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN EXTREMISTS SUSPECTED IN INFILTRATION 
ATTEMPT INTO ISRAEL 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b)(d) 
 
1.  (C)  On July 19 at approximately 0600 local time, 
Jordanian border security forces detected four individuals 
attempting to infiltrate northern Israel from Jordanian 
territory near Waqqas.  A siege ensued when the gunmen 
refused orders to surrender and opened fire on the Jordanian 
security forces.  The gunmen also fired shots that injured an 
Israeli soldier on patrol across the border.  The Jordanian 
security forces returned fire on the gunmen, killing two, 
critically injuring a third, and capturing a fourth, 
according to Post security contacts. 
 
2.  (C)  Royal Court Minister Samir Rifai told Charge on July 
22 that the gunmen were Jordanian-Palestinian Takfiris from 
northern Jordan.  He lamented that the GOJ needed to take a 
stronger position against radical Islam in Jordan, including 
"cleaning out" the Education Ministry and schools of the 
Islamist influence and better monitoring of incitement in 
Jordan's mosques (septel will further explore this issue). 
 
3.  (C)  Snippets of the incident were reported in the 
Israeli and Jordanian press, prompting a strong reaction from 
Jordan's main political opposition.  Never one to miss an 
opportunity to criticize the government, the Islamic Action 
Front on July 20 continued a string of attacks on the GOJ by 
condemning the GOJ's handling of the incident, saying it 
should have avoided casualties and dealt with the situation 
"by other means." 
 
4.  (C)  Meanwhile, rumors about the incident are swirling in 
Amman.  In a separate conversation, Israel's DCM in Amman 
told Charge that the gunmen, while local, may have been paid 
and supported by Lebanese Hizballah.  He alleged that a fifth 
person may have escaped during the encounter.  He 
acknowledged that Israel had not yet received a readout of 
the Jordanians' investigation.  (Note: We have not heard the 
allegation of a Hizballah connection to this incident from 
any other source). 
HALE