US embassy cable - 04AMMAN8636

UNCLAS AMMAN 008636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESA, NEA/ELA AND NEA/PA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: CASC, PREL, PTER, CJAN, JO (HIJAZI RAED) 
SUBJECT:  AMCIT RAED HIJAZI DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO 
TWENTY YEARS WITH LABOR 
 
REF:  A) AMMAN 8601 
      B) 03 AMMAN 8171 
      C) 03 AMMAN 4467 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1. (U) AS REPORTED REF A, THE JORDAN TIMES EDITION OF 
OCTOBER 5, 2004 REPORTED THAT QUOTE THE CASSATION COURT 
ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2004, COMMUTED THE DEATH SENTENCE 
AGAINST (AMCIT/JORDANIAN) RAED HIJAZI, CONVICTED OF 
PLOTTING TERROR ACTS, TO TWENTY YEARS IN JAIL WITH LABOR 
AND THAT THE COURT'S DECISION IS FINAL AND CANNOT BE 
APPEALED.  THE COURT UPHELD THE GUILTY VERDICT ISSUED BY 
THE STATE SECURITY COURT AGAINST HIJAZI.  IT ATTRIBUTED 
THE REDUCTION OF THE SENTENCE TO THE FACT THAT HIJAZI DID 
NOT IMPLEMENT HIS PLANS FOR THE SAKE OF WHICH HE 
POSSESSED WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES, ACCORDING TO COURT 
DOCUMENTS END QUOTE. 
 
2. (U) IN SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH CONSULAR STAFF, 
HIJAZI'S LAWYER JALAL TAQSH CONFIRMED THE NEWSPAPER 
REPORT.  HE CLARIFIED THAT UNDER JORDANIAN PENAL 
REGULATIONS, A "YEAR" OF IMPRISONMENT IS IN PRACTICE NINE 
MONTHS LONG, SO HIJAZI'S SENTENCE AMOUNTS TO 15 CALENDAR 
YEARS.  AS HIJAZI HAS ALREADY SERVED FOUR CALENDAR YEARS, 
HE HAS 11 CALENDAR YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT REMAINING, 
ABSENT ANY POSSIBLE PARDON DURING THAT TIME.  TAQSH 
AFFIRMED THAT THIS COURT PROCEEDING IS FINAL, AND THAT NO 
MORE APPEALS FROM HIJAZI WILL BE HEARD. 
 
 
HALE