Alleged Daesh supporters plead not guilty to targeting military personnel

AMMAN — Four defendants allegedly affiliated with the Daesh terror group, standing trial at the State Security Court (SSC) on charges of targeting military personnel in Jordan in July, have pleaded not guilty.

“The four pleaded not guilty on Monday during their opening trial,” a senior judicial source told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

According to the prosecution charge sheet, the four suspects were relatives and they formed a group consisting of nine people on the WhatsApp mobile application to support Daesh.

“One of the group members managed to contact a Jordanian man in Syria named Abu Baker who belonged to Daesh and informed him that the four of them wanted to launch an operation against Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army personnel and needed his help,” the charge sheet said.

One defendant managed to obtain a gun and informed the three other suspects, according to the charge sheet, and they all agreed “to attack an army convoy in an isolated area”.

“The suspects found a street where the army convoy would drive by slowly and they could shoot at it easily,” the charge sheet said.

However, the four were arrested by security forces before they were able to carry out any of their alleged plans, the charge sheet added.

The SSC tribunal, which is headed by Col. Judge Raed Izmegna, adjourned the session until next Monday to hear prosecution witnesses, the judicial source said.