Jordan Sentences 8 to Prison on Terrorism Charges

Jordan's State Security Court. (Petra)
Jordan's State Security Court. (Petra)
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Jordan Sentences 8 to Prison on Terrorism Charges

Jordan's State Security Court. (Petra)
Jordan's State Security Court. (Petra)

The Jordanian State Security Court on Monday issued three- to 15-year prison sentences against eight Jordanians after they were convicted of carrying out terrorist acts, promoting the ideas of an extremist group and attempting to join ISIS.

The court also sentenced a man to 15 years hard labor for planning to commit a terrorist act for ISIS by stabbing a Tourism Ministry guard, Mousa al-Abudullat, the defendants’ lawyer told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The 24-year-old convict, who has been in custody since March 2017, was found guilty of conspiring to carry out terrorist acts, promoting ISIS terrorist ideology and attempting to join the terror group.

The sentence was announced during a public hearing held under Colonel Judge Mohammad al-Afif and the membership of the civil judge Ahmad al-Qatarna, the leading Judge Safwan al-Zu'bi and in the presence of the State Security Prosecutor Captain Anas al-Khasawneh.

Also on Monday, the court sentenced six convicts to three years hard labor and a seventh suspect to four years hard labor for promoting ISIS ideologies and trying to join terrorist and armed groups.

Two detainees were acquitted.

Abdullat said that during the past three months, the court has sentenced 120 suspects, ten of whom were Syrian and the rest were Jordanian.

Most of the cases were related to promoting ISIS ideology or attempting to join terrorist organizations or carry out terrorist acts.



Armed Clashes Erupt in Libya’s Tripoli After Reported Killing of Armed Group Leader 

Members of the police are seen in the Libyan capital Tripoli. (EPA)
Members of the police are seen in the Libyan capital Tripoli. (EPA)
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Armed Clashes Erupt in Libya’s Tripoli After Reported Killing of Armed Group Leader 

Members of the police are seen in the Libyan capital Tripoli. (EPA)
Members of the police are seen in the Libyan capital Tripoli. (EPA)

Armed clashes erupted on Monday evening and gunfire has echoed in the city center and other parts of the Libyan capital Tripoli following reports that an armed group leader was killed, three residents told Reuters by phone.

The leader, Abdulghani Kikli, known as Ghaniwa, is the commander of Support Force Apparatus SSA, one of Tripoli's powerful armed groups, based in the densely populated Abu Salim neighborhood.

SSA is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity (GNU) of Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah through a United Nations-backed process.

The GNU's interior ministry called on citizens in a short statement to stay at home "for their own safety."

Following the ministry's call, drivers started speeding and honking in many Tripoli streets.

The GNU media platform said early on Tuesday that the defense ministry had fully taken control of Abu Salim neighborhood.

"I heard heavy gunfire, and I saw red lights in the sky," a resident said on condition of anonymity.

The other two residents said the gunfire was echoing all over their neighborhoods of Abu Salim and Salaheddin.

The University of Tripoli Presidency announced on Facebook the suspension of studies, exams, and administrative work at all faculties, departments and offices until further notice.

The UN Mission in Libya urged all parties to "immediately cease fighting and restore calm," reminding them of their obligation to protect civilians.

"Attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes," it said.

Libya, a major oil producer in the Mediterranean, has had little stability since a 2011 uprising backed by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The country split in 2014 between warring eastern and western factions.

Major fighting paused with a ceasefire in 2020 but efforts to end the political crisis have failed, with major factions occasionally joining forces in armed clashes and competing for control over Libya's substantial economic resources.

Tripoli and the northwest, where the GNU and most major state institutions are based, are home to rival armed factions that have repeatedly fought.