US embassy cable - 02AMMAN6691

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 006691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/CT FOR REAP, NEA/ARN FOR ZIADEH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, CASC 
SUBJECT: JORDAN: 2002 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT 
 
REF: SECSTATE 201772 
 
1. Answers keyed to reftel. 
 
A) (U) Significant actions taken by host governments to 
support the global coalition against terrorism. 
 
The GOJ continues to be a strong supporter of the global 
coalition against terrorism and has responded positively to 
our requests for assistance. To support Operation Enduring 
Freedom (OEF) efforts in Afghanistan, the GOJ continues to 
maintain a de-mining platoon and a Jordanian Armed Forces 
(JAF) field hospital there. 
 
B) (U) Describe the response of the judicial system of each 
country to acts of international and/or domestic terrorism. 
 
The Jordanian penal code provides the judicial branch with 
many legal tools to pursue and convict terrorists.  In 2002, 
the GOJ was involved in prosecuting several terrorism-related 
cases. 
 
--  The GOJ is currently prosecuting 10 Jordanians involved 
in a plot to target U.S. interests in Jordan, possibly 
including people jogging in the neighborhood surrounding the 
Embassy.  Members of the group have allegedly confessed to 
buying machineguns to launch military attacks inside Israel. 
 
--  Ra'ed Hijazi:  The Court of Cassation requested 
information from the State Security Court in October 2002 to 
support the death penalty sentence handed down by the State 
Security Court earlier this year.  Despite press reports to 
the contrary, Hijazi is not being retried and remains in 
custody. 
 
--  "Reform and Challenge" organization:  The State Security 
Court on Wednesday, October 2, 2002 acquitted six men 
standing trial on charges of carrying out subversive and 
arson acts in 1998. 
 
-- Assassination of Jordanian diplomat Na'eb al-Ma'ayteh:  In 
July 2002, the Court of Cassation upheld the death by hanging 
sentence handed down by the State Security Court in December 
2001 against Yasser Abu Shinnar for his role in the 1994 
assassination of Jordanian diplomat Na'eb Ma'ayteh. 
 
-- Car bomb plotters:  On May 20, 2002, the State Security 
Court prosecutors indicted six unnamed suspects in connection 
with a bomb that targeted the vehicle of a GID 
counterterrorism officer.  The blast killed two passersby. 
There has been no date set for the trial. 
 
The GOJ continues to apprehend and prosecute individuals 
involved in smuggling weapons and/or explosives to the West 
Bank.  For example, four Syrians in July 2002 were convicted 
of illegally possessing explosives and received sentences 
ranging from one and a half years to three years. 
 
C) (U) Did the host government extradite or request the 
extradition of suspected terrorists for prosecution during 
the year? 
 
Yes, Jamal Fatayer was extradited from Libya in January 2002 
in connection with the 1994 assassination of Jordanian 
diplomat Nayeb Ma'aytah in Beirut. 
 
D) (U) Describe any significant impediments to host 
government prosecution and/or extradition of suspected 
terrorists. 
 
There are no legal or administrative impediments to the 
prosecution of terrorist cases in Jordan.  However, there are 
some constitutional impediments to extraditing Jordanian 
citizens who may be suspected terrorists.  Most extraditions 
have been put on hold following a 1997 Jordanian court ruling 
that Jordan's bilateral extradition treaty with the U.S. is 
invalid until ratified by parliament. 
 
E) (U) Discuss host government responses other than 
prosecution. 
 
GOJ officials have consistently issued statements denouncing 
both international and domestic terrorist acts. 
 
The GOJ is working closely with US officials to investigate 
the October 28 murder of USAID officer Laurence Foley. 
 
F) (U) Describe major counterterrorism efforts undertaken in 
2002 by the host government, including steps taken in 
international fora. 
 
GOJ officials are close to signing two additional UN 
terrorism conventions, which would make Jordan a signatory on 
10 of the 12 conventions. 
 
H) (U) Has the host government made any public statements in 
support of a terrorist-supporting country on a terrorism 
issue? 
 
No 
I) (U) Describe any significant change since 2001 in the host 
government's attitude toward terrorism. 
 
There has been no change in the GOJ's strong commitment to 
the coalition against terrorism or to its own domestic 
counterterrorism program. 
J) (U) Describe U.S. counterterrorism efforts and initiatives 
with the host government, including, but not limited to, 
requests to the host government for specific cooperation and 
efforts by the U.S. in the host country to eliminate 
international financial support to terrorist grounds directly 
or in support of their activities. 
 
The USG has a robust Anti-terrorism Assistance (ATA) program 
with Jordan, which has increased the professionalism of the 
Public Security Directorate (PSD).  ATA training has also 
been extended to other sectors of the Jordanian government. 
This spring, ATA provided training in counterterrorism 
legislation to several participants from the legislative and 
financial government sectors. 
 
At this time, there is no evidence that Jordan is a center of 
illicit funding for terrorist groups.  Under UNSCR 1267, 
Jordanian authorities have searched bank, stock exchange, and 
land registry records but have found no evidence of financial 
or real assets in Jordan connected with any of the groups or 
individuals listed by the United Nations or EO 13224. 
 
K) (U) Cooperation with host government during the previous 
five years: 
 
-- (I) The extent to which the host government in 2002 
cooperated or is cooperating with the USG in apprehending, 
convicting, and punishing the individual(s) responsible for 
the act. 
 
The GOJ has aggressively pursued suspected terrorists, and 
has successfully prosecuted and convicted many involved in 
plots against US or Israeli interests. 
 
The GOJ is in the preliminary stages of its investigation 
into the death of Laurence Foley and has conducted the 
investigation in cooperation with USG officials. 
 
-- (II) The extent to which the host government in 2002 
cooperated or is cooperating in preventing further acts of 
terrorism against US citizens. 
 
The GOJ has been very responsive to the security needs of US 
citizens in Jordan.  During times of tension, the GOJ has 
increased security around the embassy perimeter and in areas 
where Americans tend to gather, including tourist sites and 
hotels.  After the tragic murder of USAID administrator 
Laurence Foley, the security services immediately increased 
security around the homes of most US diplomats and increased 
the presence of marked and unmarked patrol cars in the 
neighborhoods of US diplomats. 
 
L) (U) If the US has sought cooperation during the past five 
years, describe the extent to which the host government in 
2002 cooperated or is cooperating in preventing acts of 
terrorism against US citizens. 
 
Please see above. 
 
 
GNEHM