US embassy cable - 04AMMAN9243

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 009243 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2014 
TAGS: PTER, ASEC, KTFN, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES TURN UP THE HEAT ON ZARQAWI 
NETWORK 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 8601 
     B. AMMAN 7960 
     C. AMMAN 5278 
     D. AMMAN 3303 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Christopher Henzel or reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (U)  Jordanian authorities have issued an ultimatum to 
convicted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, demanding that he 
turn himself in within ten days to face terrorism conspiracy 
charges.  Meanwhile, the State Security Court sentenced Bilal 
Hiyari, a Zarqawi fundraiser, to six months in jail, but he 
was ordered released, having already served the time in 
prison.  However, a witness in Hiyari's case was indicted on 
charges that he conspired with Zarqawi to target Jordanian 
interests in Iraq.  Zarqawi's family in Jordan told reporters 
that one of his nephews caught trying to infiltrate Iraq to 
join him is in the custody of Jordanian officials.  In other 
(non-Zarqawi related) developments, the Court acquitted four 
men charged with plotting attacks against U.S. and Israeli 
targets in Jordan, citing a lack of evidence.  End Summary. 
 
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COURT GIVES ZARQAWI TEN DAYS TO "GIVE HIMSELF UP" 
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2.  (U)  In an unusual move, Jordan's State Security Court 
issued a public ultimatum to fugitive Jordanian citizen Ahmad 
Fadil Nazzal al-Khalaylah (aka Abu Musab al-Zarqawi) to turn 
himself in to authorities within ten days, according to press 
reports on November 12.  Zarqawi is wanted for his role in 
numerous plots in Jordan, most recently a plan disrupted in 
April that targeted Jordanian government sites as well as 
Embassy Amman (ref A).  Zarqawi was sentenced to death for 
his role in the assassination of USAID official Laurence 
Foley in October 2002.  If Zarqawi fails to comply, Judge 
Bqour threatened that his "funds will be placed under the 
government's control"  and Zarqawi would be "banned from 
disposing... funds and banned from filing... lawsuits.  Any 
move or commitment (Zarqawi makes) will be regarded as null 
and void."  (Note: The Judge appears to be playing to the 
gallery, as the GOJ has already ordered frozen any funds 
linked to the Zarqawi network.  End note.) 
 
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ZARQAWI FINANCIER SENTENCED, ANOTHER COHORT INDICTED 
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3.  (U)  The State Security Court on October 31 sentenced 
Bilal Mansour Hiyari to six months in prison for collecting 
funds for Zarqawi to support armed insurgency in Iraq (ref 
B).  However, the Court dismissed charges of conspiracy to 
carry out terrorist activities in Jordan, citing a lack of 
evidence.  In the verdict, Judge Bqour noted that the 
defendant met Zarqawi in Iraq in 2003 and agreed to collect 
money for Zarqawi's militant activities, but that: "The 
defendant returned to Jordan without seeking to conduct any 
military operations that would threaten the security and 
stability of Jordan."  According to the prosecution, upon his 
return to Jordan, he met one of Zarqawi's aides in Amman and 
gave him $3,000 to buy a car for Zarqawi in Iraq. 
 
4.  (U)  Hiyari had pleaded not guilty to the charges, and 
denied knowing Zarqawi or having links with him, but his 
lawyer described the verdict as just and an indication of the 
"impartial judiciary system in Jordan."  The lawyer told 
press that his client was to be released that day because he 
had already served the 6-month period in jail. 
 
5.  (U)  After Hiyari's trial concluded, the judge indicted 
Miqdad al-Dabbas, who had been called as a witness in 
Hiyari's case, according to press reports, charging him with 
conspiring to carry out terrorist operations.  The 
prosecution says he had past contact with Zarqawi in Iraq 
where they planned to attack Jordanian targets in Iraq. 
Dabbas allegedly was a fifth year engineering student in Iraq 
before his arrest and transfer to Jordanian custody. 
 
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COURT AFFIRMS SENTENCE FOR ZARQAWI NEPHEW... 
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6.  (U)  The Court of Cassation upheld the State Security 
Court's verdict in May against Zarqawi's nephew Omar 
al-Khalaylah and two cohorts for plotting terrorist attacks 
in Jordan (ref C).  Khalaylah, Hamza Momeni, and Ayman 
Khawaldeh were sentenced to three years hard labor for 
plotting to attack U.S. and Israeli tourists in northern 
Jordan. 
 
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...WHILE ANOTHER NEPHEW SAID ARRESTED 
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7.  (U)  A press report quoting Zarqawi's family on November 
17 indicated that Jordanian security services had arrested 
one of Zarqawi's nephews, Muhammad al-Harahishah over one 
month ago on the Jordanian-Syrian border en route to 
infiltrating Iraq to join Zarqawi's group.  The family said 
it was discreet about the arrest because the Jordanian 
authorities promised the family to release Harahishah. 
 
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(NON-ZARQAWI) ANTI-US PLOTTERS ACQUITTED 
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8.  (U)  In one of the few terrorism-related cases pending 
that does not involve Zarqawi, the State Security Court on 
November 8 acquitted four men (dubbed the "Obedience and 
Compliance" group by local press) of charges that they 
plotted subversive attacks against U.S. and Israeli target in 
the Kingdom (ref D).  However, the court sentenced them each 
to one year in prison for possessing an unlicensed machine 
gun. 
 
9.  (U)  According to the prosecution, the Zarqa residents, 
who used to drink alcohol and go out with women, in 2003 
"became committed religiously to repent their sins and 
decided to launch military attacks against Americans and 
Israelis in Jordan."  Among the targets they considered were 
American forces in Azraq and Ruweished  However, the defense 
produced convincing "evidence" that lead to their acquittal, 
including public statements by King Abdullah and the PM from 
July 2003 that there were no U.S. forces operating on 
Jordanian territory.  "The court reached a conclusion that it 
is impossible for this crime to occur because these troops 
did not exist in the first place," the judge said.  The 
defendants' attorney told press that the verdict was "good 
and just," and said the three, who have been detained since 
December 31, 2003, were expected to be released on November 8 
"because they have already spent the prison term." 
 
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COMMENT 
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10.  (C)  Judge Bqour's gesture appears intended to warn 
ordinary Jordanians that the state is on the lookout for even 
small-scale financial support for the Zarqawi network, and 
will act against it. 
 
11.  (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Please visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site through 
the Department of State's SIPRNET home page. 
HALE