• Published 17:01 02.03.10
  • Latest update 17:03 02.03.10

Jordan jails 6 for plotting to fight Israel during Gaza war

Five suspects arrested in April, May 2009, with the other, still at large, tried in absentia.

By DPA and Haaretz Service Tags: al-Qaida Israel news Gaza Jordan

Jordan's State Security Court on Tuesday handed down lengthy jail terms to six Jordanians convicted of planning attacks on Israeli troops during their military operation in the Gaza Strip in January 2009, judicial sources said.

Five of the suspects were arrested in April and May 2009, while the other is still at large and was tried in absentia.

Mohammad Jamal Hamdan, who is still at large, was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor.

Osama Abu Kabir, Sakhr Zeidan and Hassan Khalayleh were sentenced to 15 years with hard labour. The court also jailed Walid Abu Ourah and Alauddin Khawaldeh for five years with hard labour.

"All defendants plotted to leave Jordan illegally and join fighters in the Gaza Strip at the beginning of 2009," the indictment said.

On Sunday, extremist web sites released a new video by a Jordanian Al-Qaida operative, responsible for an attack on an U.S. army base in Afghanistan last December which killed 7 CIA agents as well as a Jordanian intelligence officer.

In the video, Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi declared Jihad on Jordan, saying it was cooperating with western intelligence agencies in singling out Al-Quida militants.

Al-Balawi's brother told daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi late last year that his brother had voiced his desire to join Hamas in its fighting against Israel in Gaza in early 2009, adding that his brother, who is a physician, also made numerous attempts to join Jordan's doctor's association as way of reaching the Gaza Strip and aiding the local population.

Family members said Balawi, was a member of a large Bedouin Palestinian clan that settled in Zarqa, a hotbed of Islamic radicalism in Jordan where many dispossessed Palestinians moved after Israel's creation in 1948. He ran a clinic in an impoverished refugee camp, they said.

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  • 16. 0 0
    Labhras - I am Still Waiting for your email or answer
    • Eli
    • 10.03.10
    • 18:51

    Why Did you go into such a hissy fit yesterday? And why are you running away today? Still waiting for your answer, if you post and it doesn't get posted email me, alwayslearning@live.ca I am googling Labhras Haaretz and todays date, so any article you post on I will find you and ask for an answer. If you don't reply today, I will bring it up again tmrw; you can run, you can hide, you can post under different names, but Labhras I will find, the Labharas your posts and I will put forward the same question that you ran from yesterday. So if you have any balls, I mean you do talk a big game, write me an email or post back your answer. Right now you remind me of a Canadian Celtic Band Great Big Sea, notably the song Run Runaway, I thought better of you, I guess I was wrong.

  • 15. 0 0
    Jordan is Jordan
    • Jordanian
    • 09.03.10
    • 07:10

    Jordan is Jordan and Palestine is Palestine. Who ever try to harm Jordan Jordanians will cut his hand

  • 14. 0 0
    To Mark Lincoln
    • Chris Stein
    • 03.03.10
    • 16:52

    I suppose us being Americans don't consider how we still treat Blacks and the Mexican/Latin population of our country. Only in our homeland of America do we ask what race you are when you take an SAT test. The black population is only like 10% of our population yet why is it that we stick them all in prison for charges that a white man would only get a fine for?

  • 13. 0 0
    #1 Labhras: Before Cast Lead There Was And Is Cast Charter Of ..
    • Lavi
    • 03.03.10
    • 08:50

    ... Hamas death and destruction of Israel and of any innocent Arabs standing in the way. Show us you really care about the poor Palestinians by addressing the many wrongs done to them by their own disingenuous leaders and militia throughout the decades. Israel strides forward to celebrate yet another eventful birthday while you and the Palestinians gripe and grope as losers over more self-inflicted lost time.

  • 12. 0 0
    will be freed soon
    • observer
    • 03.03.10
    • 08:45

    jordan can,t detain thousands of it,s citizens who are willing to support palestinians and fight and die for liberating palestine . jordan won,t risk doing this stupid act . this is just a show-off to imply authority and control border area .

  • 11. 0 0
    Is there any difference between
    • Mark Lincoln
    • 03.03.10
    • 07:39

    What can any decent person say about the government of Germany in 1937? That government was dedicated to a few principals. One principle was that a 'master race' had a god-given right to dispossess the inferior races. Another was that the master race had right to carve it's 'living room' out of those inferior races occupying lands to the east. I guess it is impossible to separate the beliefs of Israel's right and the beliefs of Germany's Nazis. Both believed they were the Master Race, which God had given the right to take any land it wished from any 'sub-human race' such as Jews or Arabs. How is it that Israel can now so easily slide itself into the role of Nazi Germany? I do not know. I cannot understand. I cannot approve. But then I am an American and ONLY Israelis have any right - or requirement - to oppose those who have chosen to turn their nation into the Nazi Germany of today? Israelis must oppose, or as it seems they do, agree, with what their government is doing.

  • 10. 0 0
    The King has not forgotten when vile Pals
    • Josiah J. Ben David
    • 02.03.10
    • 22:58

    tried to overthrow the kingdom in the 70s. The terroristic , murdering PLO started a revolution in the streets and murdered many Jordanians in their dastardly attempt to take over. For this they were killed like swatting flies and run out of the country. Now this same filth threatens Israel and hides like rats in Gaza.

  • 9. 0 0
    #5 An Israeli--no Jordan is a sovereign State
    • Labhras
    • 02.03.10
    • 22:42

    has been since 1946 to years before Israel born. Cannot imagine why you would ask such a question. Was it a trick one.

  • 8. 0 0
    Jordan -- preventing the mass murder of innocents
    • Gina
    • 02.03.10
    • 21:35

    May God bless the country and the people who labor to protect innocents.

  • 7. 0 0
    JORDAN IS PALESTINE
    • DR
    • 02.03.10
    • 21:20

    Jordan is Palestine, Palestine is Jordan. If the world would just remember this then there would be peace in the middle east!

  • 6. 0 0
    JORDAN IS PALESTINE
    • DR
    • 02.03.10
    • 21:20

    Jordan is Palestine, Palestine is Jordan. If the world would just remember this then there would be peace in the middle east!

  • 5. 0 0
    to Labhras
    • An Israeli
    • 02.03.10
    • 20:10

    Labhras, Do you agree with me that Jordan is occupying Palestine?

  • 4. 0 0
    to Labhras
    • An Israeli
    • 02.03.10
    • 20:08

  • 3. 0 0
    shame
    • jay
    • 02.03.10
    • 19:24

    King of Jordan is an an israeli agnet .

  • 2. 0 0
    Outrage
    • George
    • 02.03.10
    • 18:56

    Instead of going to war ourselves, the government is arresting those who wanted to fight?? disgraceful...

  • 1. 0 0
    They should be given medals for resisting the vile
    • Labhras
    • 02.03.10
    • 18:07

    occupation and war crimes carried out by Israel in Cast Lead. Be careful King of Jordan---you are not exactly in a concrete postion in Jordan.