‘No place in this country for terrorists’

Every time the terrorists try to test the capability of the Jordanian security forces, they end up battered as they never anticipated.

The recent crackdown on a terrorist cell in the northern town of Irbid was a tough lesson for any individual or group that may contemplate any future meddling with this country’s security.

There is no place in this country for terrorists. This country is forbidden to any kind of lawlessness, criminal activity, extremist trends and abuse of religious teachings and values.

This is the resolve of all components of the Jordanian society.

The manner in which Jordanian security forces dealt with the terrorist plot, the professional monitoring of the extremist bunch, the quick and drastic special forces action, the skill in liquidating some and arresting the others, despite the fact that they were heavily armed and shooting at the police from a densely populated residential area, made every Jordanian not only safe and secure but also proud of the brave heroes whose eyes never blink while watching every suspicious move against our peace and tranquil life.

The operation took few hours longer than it did simply because the coward criminals were hiding among civilians and it was a major concern for our security officers not to hurt civilians. And they did not.

The militants tried to do the same about this time last year, planning to divide Jordanians and drive a wedge between them and their leadership, when they committed one of the most barbaric crimes in recent times, burning alive Jordanian pilot, martyr Muath Al Kasasbeh, who fell captive in their blood-soaked hands while heroically performing his noble duty against the terrorist nests of Daesh, the enemy of Islam and humanity.

Their monstrosity elicited exactly the opposite: it united all Jordanians, as never before, around the one and only cause of fighting terrorists to the very end, defending the country no matter what the sacrifice could be and supporting the Hashemite leadership, the only ironclad guarantee of this country’s stability, safety, solidarity, unity of purpose and prosperity in the face of all challenges.

By no means was Kasasbeh the first Jordanian soldier to fall in battle. Over the years, this country has offered tens of thousands of martyrs in the fields of honour in Palestine and elsewhere while defending Arab lands, Arab rights and Arab dignity, on top of the sacred duty of defending Jordan and the Jordanians.

And yet, Kasasbeh is now a legendary hero in the eye of every Jordanian, simply because he is a symbol of defiance and national pride, as well as a token of resolve that this country can never submit to intimidation or blackmail.

Joining the trail of honourable martyrs is captain Rashed Hussein Zyoud, another Jordanian hero who fell in this latest battle against the Irbid gang who were planning attacks at civilian and security agencies locations with the evil intention of causing massive loss of innocent lives in this peaceful country.

There is no question that their purpose this time, as it was last time when they murdered Kasasbeh, was to horrify the Jordanian population, probably hoping that their outrage would weaken the Jordanian commitment or undermine this country’s determination and unity.

Once more the lesson has been hard on those who hatched this sinister conspiracy.

The efficient security departments have been monitoring the criminals’ moves by the minute. They waited until the right moment and when the murderers were ready to act, the Jordanian heroes took them by surprise and in a matter of hours the operation was complete.

Some of the terrorist who fiercely resisted arrest by shooting at our security personnel were killed. Others were arrested and will be put on trial.

The swift, efficient and radical manner in which this security operation was completed has been cause not only of great relief all over the country, but also of pride in the unique capability of our security agencies, recognised worldwide for their professionalism and unique skill in handling the most difficult, dangerous and complex tasks.

The reality is that the glorious record of the superior performance of our armed forces, the various security departments and our intelligence apparatus, in particular, is too well known to need additional vindication.

This country has been target of evil plots by terrorist groups for decades. Over the years, we suffered substantial losses in blood and treasure.

Keeping the country stable, safe and secure, especially now when chaos is spreading all around, is not an easy duty.

The plot that was aborted in Irbid may not be the last our forces have to prepare for. But they no doubt are ready.

What distinguishes this country is that we are all united behind our leadership and our security forces to defend our land and the people. Nothing will shake this firm commitment.

There is no question that martyr Zyoud is painfully mourned by his entire Jordanian family. By attending his funeral with other members of the Royal Family, His Majesty King Abdullah was sending a resounding message, telling the whole world that all of us are soldiers when it comes to defending this land, the land that will always be forbidden to conspirators and conspiracies.