Three members of banned party detained over ‘caliphate propaganda’

AMMAN — Security forces have arrested three members of the banned Islamic Liberation Party for distributing “propaganda in support of an Islamic caliphate”, their defence attorney said Saturday.

Two members were arrested in north Amman on Friday after Abdul Jalil Zghoul was detained in Ajloun last Wednesday, defence attorney Mousa Abdullat said.

The offending material was a brochure criticising the Islamic “caliphate” recently formed by the Islamic State extremist militant group operating in Syria and Iraq and urging Muslims to form a “true caliphate” to counter the jihadist movement’s spread, party members claimed. 

According to security sources, officials will refer the three men to the State Security Court (SSC) where they are expected to face charges of “membership of an illegal organisation” and “distributing materials inciting terrorism” as per the Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Law, respectively.

The arrests raise to 17 the total number of Islamic Liberation Party members facing trial at the SSC, according to party spokesperson Mamdouh Qteishat. 

Active across the region, the party is banned in Jordan for its calls to overthrow existing Arab governments and monarchies.