From the scene of the attack
Jordan attack suspect previously sentenced to 9 years in Daesh-linked case
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The suspect behind Thursday's attack on Al-Madina Al-Munawwara Street in Amman, which killed Public Security Directorate (PSD) Corporal Jawad Ali Khalaf Al-Salaita and injured another officer, had previously been sentenced to nine years in prison in a terrorism-related case linked to the Daesh terrorist organization, according to judicial and security records.
The records show that the suspect was convicted by the State Security Court in a 2020 case involving a plot to target a security center in Irbid Governorate on behalf of Daesh.
The PSD said extensive criminal and field investigations established that the suspect had planned the latest attack in advance and intended to target security personnel while they were performing their duties. He was apprehended at the scene and referred for questioning.
Read more: Jordan police: Fatal attack was a planned terrorist act
2020 case: Plot to target Irbid security center
According to the details of Court of Cassation Ruling No. 1036/2022, the suspect was one of three individuals convicted by the State Security Court for adopting Daesh's extremist ideology.
The case involved several key developments:
- Recruitment and allegiance to Daesh: The suspect began adopting the organization's ideology after being influenced by a friend in Beit Ras. He subsequently accessed extremist publications and books, pledged allegiance to Daesh leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, and later renewed his allegiance to his successor, Abu Ibrahim Al-Hashimi Al-Qurashi. He also shared promotional material for the organization through social media.
- Attempt to travel to Sinai: The suspect and his associates planned to travel to Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, under the pretext of tourism, with the intention of entering the Sinai Peninsula and joining Daesh fighters there. However, after contacting one of the organization's field operatives, concerns over the widespread presence of the Egyptian army led them to postpone the plan.
- Plot to target a security center in Jordan: Following the failed travel plan, the suspect proposed carrying out attacks inside Jordan in late 2019, identifying the Northern Irbid Security Center as a primary target.
- Surveillance and weapons procurement: The suspect conducted on-site surveillance of the security center to monitor its security positions and the number of personnel stationed there. He also agreed with an associate to collect money to purchase firearms from local dealers. Security agencies foiled the plot and arrested him on February 3, 2020.
Read more: Police officer killed in knife attack in Jordan
Nine-year prison sentence upheld by court
On February 13, 2022, the State Security Court convicted the suspect on three felony charges under Jordan's Anti-Terrorism Law No. 55 of 2006.
The charges included conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts, promoting the ideology of a terrorist group, and attempting to join armed organizations.
The court applied Article 72(1) of the Penal Code, imposing the most severe applicable sentence of nine years of temporary hard labor, calculated from the date of his arrest on February 3, 2020.
On June 16, 2022, the Court of Cassation upheld the sentence, rejecting the appeals submitted by the defense.
Suspect released weeks before Amman attack
According to the judicial records, the suspect was released from prison only weeks before carrying out Thursday's attack.
