A Jordanian military court on Thursday jailed three nationals suspected of belonging to the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas for plotting attacks in the kingdom in 2006. The state security court sentenced Ayman Naji Hamdallah, 35, to 15 years in jail for "plotting to carry out terrorist attacks" in Jordan two years ago. The court jailed Ali Ahmad Abu Rabei, 28, and Ahmad Nemer Abu Thiab, 30 for five years each for "illegal possession of explosives and weapons."The three men, of Palestinian origin, can appeal within 30 days. They were arrested in April and May 2006 as part of a sweep that netted 20 people, and the group confessed on state television that they had plotted to kill senior officials in Jordan's intelligence services.
Hamdallah has said he made frequent trips to Syria and tipped off the Jordanian authorities about a weapons cache, including Iranian-made Katyusha rockets, in the north of the kingdom. Iran, Syria and Hamas have denied any involvement in the alleged plot, although Amman has not accused Tehran or Damascus of implication.
The Damascus-based leadership of Hamas on Thursday condemned the court's decision. "The men have sought to support the Palestinian resistance against Israel, and the charges have been fabricated. Hamas does not target any Arab country," the group said in a statement. "Jordan has been busy with fabricating accusations against Hamas. We demand the government cancel the arbitrary and harsh verdicts."