The prosecution on Monday asked the State Security Court (SSC) to convict the three Islamist deputies charged with fuelling national discord and inciting sectarianism. “The three deputies betrayed the Jordanian people by their actions,” the SSC prosecution said in its 16-page closing argument.The prosecution was referring to the deputies’ condolence visit on June 9 to the family of Abu Mussab Zarqawi and also to a televised interview in which one of the MPs allegedly described the former Al Qaeda in Iraq leader as a “hero and a martyr.” The three Islamic Action Front (IAF) MPs on trial are Ali Abul Sukkar (Zarqa, Second District), Mohammad Abu Fares (Amman, Fifth District) and Jaafar Hourani (Zarqa, Fourth District). “The deputies’ actions angered the Jordanian people who expected the MPs to stand next to them in fighting terrorism and terrorists,” the prosecution said.
Zarqawi, who was killed in a US strike in Iraq on June 8, claimed responsibility for the Nov. 9 terrorist attacks against three of the capital’s hotels, killing 60 people and injuring around a hundred. “The Jordanian people and the prosecution awaits justice from your tribunal to calm people down and hand the defendants the maximum punishment,” the prosecution said. If convicted of the charges, the MPs, who do not have parliamentary immunity because the Lower House is currently in recess, could receive a maximum of three years in prison.