US embassy cable - 05AMMAN7600

UNCLAS AMMAN 007600 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KISL, PTER, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN AL-TAHRIR ACTIVISTS ARRESTED 
 
REF: AMMAN 05456 
 
1.  Jordan's state prosecutor charged three men on September 
21 with belonging to the illegal Hizb al-Tahrir al-Islami 
(Islamic Liberation Party).  The three men were arrested in 
July for distributing leaflets among delegates at the First 
International Conference of Muslim Scholars, a meeting 
sponsored by the palace to foster tolerance and the reject 
extremism (reftel).  No date was announced for their trial. 
 
2.  Eight Al-Tahrir activists were arrested on charges of 
holding an illegal rally in a Palestinian area of Amman after 
prayers on Friday, September 2.  Post contacts report that 
speakers at the rally called for the overthrow of Arab 
governments, and praised Iraqi insurgents.  The most 
prominent detainee is pharmacist Saleh Al-Chalabi, leader of 
the Jordanian Al-Tahrir party.  According to local press, 
over 1,000 attended the gathering. 
 
3.  Note:  In order to operate legally in Jordan, political 
parties must affirm a commitment to the current constitution. 
 Because it seeks a restoration of the Caliphate, Al-Tahrir 
is unable to meet this requirement.  Its sympathizers here 
probably number fewer than five thousand.  END NOTE 
 
4.  Comment:  The Jordanian government has periodically 
detained Al-Tahrir members for short periods, usually for 
distributing literature.  The group has been largely inactive 
for the past decade, and had been eclipsed by other, more 
prominent local Islamist groups.  Al-Tahrir members have not 
been accused of plotting violence in Jordan.  This months 
unauthorized mosque rally is a departure from the group's 
norm. 
 
RUBINSTEIN 
 
RUBINSTEIN