AMMAN — Jordan has sentenced nine Al Qaida operatives to death,
including Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi, convicted of seeking to destroy the
kingdom's intelligence headquarters with chemical weapons.
A Jordanian military court sentenced Al Zarqawi and eight others for
plotting to target several key installations in the kingdom. Al Zarqawi and
three others were sentenced in absentia.
The five others, convicted in 2004, were in the courtroom on Wednesday, Middle East Newsline reported.
Azmi Jayousi, the mastermind of the chemical weapons plot, was also
sentenced to death.
"Bin Laden's organization is rising and we will be back!" the defendants
shouted after the sentencing, referring to the Al Qaida terror network led
by Osama Bin Laden.
Two other Al Qaida defendants were sentenced to prison terms of between
one and three years. The two remaining defendants were acquitted. The 13 men
were Jordanian, Syrian and Palestinians.
The prosecution said Al Zarqawi sent more than $118,000 to buy two
vehicles for the attack, which could have killed thousands of people. The
vehicles, sent from Syria, were to have filled with bombs and chemicals and
driven into the General Intelligence Department in Amman.
The Al Qaida cell also sought to destroy the U.S. embassy in Amman.
Other Al Qaida targets cited were the prime minister's office, and
intelligence and military court officials.
The foiling of the attacks was regarded as a milestone for Jordan's
special operations forces. Officials said SOF units worked closely with the
intelligence services to capture suspects, obtain information and rapidly
locate and raid insurgency strongholds.
In December 2005, Al Zarqawi claimed responsibility for three
coordinated suicide bombings in prominent hotels in Amman. At least 57
people, including intelligence officials from the Middle East, were killed
in the strikes.
