Al Rai reporter arrested for violating gag on terror case

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) detained Al Rai journalist Ghazi Mrayat after publishing a report detailing the recent foiled terror plot in spite of a gag order preventing media outlets from further publishing about the case.

"We did not receive any official letter that the ban is into effect. It was simply news that was circulated. When there is a gag order not to publish, we usually get an official letter from the authorities in charge," Tareq Momani, chief editor of Al Rai daily, told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

"We reject his detention; it is not acceptable for us at all. We will follow up on his case and we will do everything possible to secure his release," said Momani, who is also the president of the Jordan Press Association.

According to Momani, Mrayat was accused of committing acts that harm the country's relations with other countries, and endanger the lives of Jordanians and the interests of the country.

He was detained for 15 days pending further investigation at Marka Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre for violating the ban.

The foiled terror case first reported by Al Rai involved the recent arrest of a suspect identified as Khaled Rabiee, who was allegedly affiliated with Iran and plotted to carry out terrorist attacks in the country.

In its Monday’s issue, Al Rai quoted a “well-informed” source as saying that security authorities recently foiled a terror attempt and arrested a man who works for Iran’s Bayt Al Maqdis Brigades and plotted to conduct terror attacks in Jordan.

About 45kg of highly explosive materials were seized from the man, who reportedly hid the explosives in Jerash Governorate, 48km north of Amman, Al Rai reported.

The suspect holds Iraqi and Norwegian citizenship, the daily said, adding that he is facing charges of possessing highly explosive materials and plotting acts of terror in Jordan.

Al Rai said the case is the largest over the past 10 years in terms of the quantity and nature of the seized explosives.

In Wednesday’s edition, Al Rai published more details on the case a few days after the ban.