US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2131

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, PREL, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: REPORTED JORDANIAN SUICIDE BOMBER IN IRAQ 
 
Classified By: CDA Christopher Henzel for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C)  King Abdullah has publicly chastised a local 
newspaper for its laudatory coverage of a "martyrdom 
celebration" here in honor of a Jordanian citizen who 
reportedly carried out a suicide attack in Iraq earlier this 
month.  GOJ officials have tried to refute SCIRI accusations 
that the GOJ failed to stop the "export of murderers of 
Iraqis."  End Summary. 
 
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JORDANIAN SUICIDE BOMBER IN IRAQ SPARKS CONTROVERSY 
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2.  (U)  Al-Ghad Arabic daily reported on March 11 that the 
parents of Ra'ed Mansour al-Banna held a "martyrdom 
celebration" in Salt, northwest of Amman, in honor of their 
son, who allegedly carried out a suicide attack in Iraq.  The 
paper wrote that the "martyr's father proudly accepted 
congratulations on the martyrdom of his son at the family 
headquarters... in Salt."  The paper reported claims by the 
family that al-Banna "exploded himself in a booby-trapped car 
in Hillah area, in Baghdad, killing more than 132 people, 
most of them Americans (sic)." 
 
3.  (C)  According to the al-Ghad article, al-Banna was born 
in 1973 and obtained a law degree from Mu'tah University in 
Jordan in 1995.  Al-Ghad quoted al-Banna's family as saying 
he was working in California during the 11 September attacks, 
which, according to the brother, "changed him from an 
ordinary youth into a devoted Muslim diligent in praying at 
the mosque and standing alongside Muslim preacher Wajdi 
Ghunaym at the California mosque."  (Note:  Consular records 
show that al-Banna received a B-1/B-2 NIV in Amman on April 
2, 2001.  The photo that accompanied his application closely 
resembles a photo of al-Banna that the paper ran along with 
the article on March 11.  End note.) 
 
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IRAQIS CRY FOUL 
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4.  (C)  The article sparked an immediate outcry.  The Iraqi 
Embassy in Amman strongly protested to al-Ghad, and the 
newspaper on March 12 published a "correction," saying "the 
(Iraqi) Embassy officially stresses that no Americans were 
killed in the bombing operation and that all victims were 
Iraqis who gathered near a health clinic in the area."  The 
paper added that the al-Banna family subsequently "clarified" 
to the paper in a telephone call that their son did not carry 
out the Hillah "operation," but actually another, 
unspecified, suicide attack in Iraq on March 1.  Embassy 
Amman PA also complained to the paper's editor-in-chief. 
 
5.  (U)  According to international media, the al-Ghad 
article prompted a statement from the Supreme Council of the 
Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) on March 12, condemning 
the "honoring of crime and terrorism" as represented by the 
"funeral celebration" in Jordan.  The SCIRI statement slammed 
the Jordanian government, political parties, unions, and "men 
of religion" who have been "deafeningly silent" about the 
"big crimes being perpetrated in Iraq."  "We in SCIRI 
denounce the honoring of murderers by their families and 
others in Jordan," the statement added.  SCIRI urged the GOJ 
to investigate the incident and to take necessary legal steps 
to prevent the "export of murderers of Iraqis."  If the GOJ 
fails to respond adequately, it said, "the Iraqi government 
should take the necessary measures" against Jordan. 
 
6.  (U)  GOJ spokesperson Asma Khader publicly replied that 
the SCIRI statement was "based on a misunderstanding" of 
Jordan's position.  She said Jordan has continually denounced 
terrorism acts in Iraq, and that "holding a condolences home 
in Amman (sic) for a Jordanian citizen accused of a suicide 
attack in Iraq does not reflect Jordan's formal stand nor 
does it mean that the Jordanian government (seeks to harm) 
Iraq's security." 
 
7.  (C)  The publisher of al-Ghad told Amman IO on March 12 
that he received angry phone calls not only from the Iraqi 
ambassador to Jordan, but also senior GOJ officials.  The 
publisher claimed there had been a "major internal screw up" 
at the paper, and that the piece had run without senior 
editorial review.  Al-Ghad on March 13 ran a story about the 
efforts of jihadists to lure Jordanians to fight in Iraq, as 
well as two editorials denouncing the phenomenon. 
 
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KING STEPS IN 
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8.  (C)  The controversy prompted the King to personally 
visit the al-Ghad headquarters on March 13, where he 
delivered a public tongue-lashing about the responsibility of 
the media to promote stability and fight extremism.  Without 
directly mentioning the al-Banna case, he said: "We aspire 
that our journalism and our various mass media would set the 
finest example, which should be emulated by others in their 
objectivity and credibility in transporting information and 
the use of a scientific method... apart from half facts and 
distortion."  He called for "neglecting all forms of hatred 
and violent practices perpetrated by extremists." 
"Journalism should play a key role to help entrench security 
and peace in the region," the King added.  He emphasized that 
Jordan had taken a leading role in combating extremism, 
highlighting the "Amman Message," a "pioneering initiative to 
highlight the true image of Islam that calls for dialogue, 
co-existence and moderation."  Privately, FM Mulki told 
Charge Hale on the evening of March 13 that the visit to 
al-Ghad was in direct response to the paper's "irresponsible 
coverage" of the al-Banna case.  The King's meetings with 
editors of al-Ghad and other papers were featured prominently 
on the front pages of most local dailies March 14. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C)  The issue of Jordanian citizen involvement in the 
Iraqi insurgency is a sensitive one for the GOJ, and this 
incident, on the eve of King Abdullah's visit to the U.S., is 
particularly embarrassing for them.  The GOJ prides itself on 
its strong counter-terrorism posture and its relatively 
stable security situation at home.  However, the fact that 
the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is a 
Jordanian citizen once held in Jordanian custody, is a source 
of continuing consternation for the GOJ.  Jordanian officials 
in the past have downplayed press reports alleging that 
several hundred Jordanians have gone to fight in Iraq. 
Although the GOJ is eager to assure the public (and us) that 
they have the security situation under tight control, we 
suspect that the government may be having a hard time getting 
its arms around the issue.  Anecdotal information suggests 
that many recruits are young and without previous criminal 
records, making it difficult for the security apparatus to 
know of their existence until they are caught or killed. 
This incident also underscores the raw divide between the 
pro-U.S. Jordanian government and its people on the Iraq war. 
 While the GOJ has pursued a pragmatic policy of support for 
our efforts in Iraq, the Jordanian people's sympathies remain 
largely with the "resistance." 
 
10.  (U)  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. 
HENZEL