Two on trial for ‘plotting Daesh-inspired attacks’

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Wednesday began the trial of two men accused of affiliation to the Daesh terror group, who allegedly planned attacks against tourists, soldiers and churches in Jordan.

The General Intelligence Department arrested the suspects and foiled the terrorist attempt last April, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the public hearing, the defendants entered a not-guilty plea to the charges of conspiring to carry out terror attacks, attempting to join terrorist organisations and armed groups, and promoting terrorist ideologies. 

According to the charge sheet, for two years, the defendants have been following the news and publications of Daesh, and sharing them on social media. 

They developed a conviction that the terrorist organisation seeks to apply Islamic Sharia (law) and to establish an Islamic caliphate. 

The defendants, one of whom is 21 years old had agreed to support Daesh, the prosecutors said.

They attempted to join the group in Syria but they were not able to do that as they were told that the road to Syria was not secure so they have to plan for attacks inside Jordan in support of the organisation, according to the accusation document.

In the beginning of 2017, the defendants agreed to the organisation’s request of conducting attacks in Jordan and targeting tourists, Jordanian soldiers and churches.

The defendants chose a church in Amman as their target and attempted to buy weapons, which they could not find, said the indictment list.