Court sentences IS supporters to five-year prison terms

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Monday sentenced Musaab Jaber and Omar Khader to five-year prison terms for “joining a terrorist organisation” in violation of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

Abu Jaber and Khader remained calm as the judge read the verdict, with Khader declaring “God is great” as he was led out of the courtroom. 

The verdict marked the longest jail sentences handed down by the court to convicted Islamic State (IS) members.

The SSC also handed three-year prison terms to Ahmad Al Sheikh and Qusai Masoud for “promoting terrorist ideology” via the Internet in violation of articles 3 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Law. 

During the session, 23-year-old Sheikh pleaded guilty to publishing pro-IS statements and propaganda via the Internet and the mobile phone application WhatsApp in August this year, requesting leniency.

As the judge announced the verdict, Sheikh slowly knelt and bowed in prayer. When military escorts attempted to remove him from the dock, he attacked the court for “injustice”.

Zarqa resident Masoud also pleaded guilty to charges of “using social media to promote terrorist ideology”.

As he was led out of the courtroom, Masoud threatened the US-led coalition staging ongoing airstrikes against IS in Iraq and Syria.

“Obama is bombing us and the Islamic State. God willing, we will bomb Obama and let God judge him!”

Also during Monday’s sessions, 23-year-old Tareq Nasser pleaded guilty to using multiple Internet forums to promote pro-IS ideology

In his plea, the member of Jordan’s hard-line Jihadi Salafist movement acknowledged using the jihadist Internet forum “Al Minbar Al Alami Al Jihadi” to call on citizens to support and defend IS. The court postponed Nasser’s sentencing to November 17.

The SSC also moved to postpone the sentencing of Osama Summaq, also charged with promoting terrorist ideology via the Internet, to December 1 after the defendant requested further counsel with his defence attorney. 

The verdicts come as authorities continue a crackdown on suspected supporters of the terrorist group that has led to the arrest of over 140 citizens since the launch of US-led coalition against the IS in mid-September.

A total of 25 IS suspects have been referred to the SSC.