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September 3, 2006
Jordan: Getting Tough On Supporters Of Muslim Terror
Today, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur via the Khaleej Times, the Supreme Council for Interpretation of the Constitution in Jordan ruled that two Islamist members of parliament, who were convicted for "incitement" should lose their entitlements as MPs.
Abu Fares and Abul Sukkar belong to the Islamic Action Front (IAF) which is a political branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. They were convicted for "incitement, stirring national unrest and harming national unity" following their condolences after the death of the Jordanian terrorist, leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who also ordered the bombings in Amman on November 9, which killed 57 people and wounded 300. Fares had also said that Zarqawi, killed by a US targeted bomb on June 8, had been a "martyr".
Originally sentenced to jail terms (2 years for Fares, 18 months for Sukkar), their sentences were reduced by the Court of Cassation to 13 months each.
The government had asked the Supreme Council for Interpretation of the Constitution for a ruling, to find out if a parliamentary vote was needed to take action against the men. Under Jordan's laws, an MP can not hold onto a seat if convicted and sentenced to more than one years' jail for "non-political" reasons.
According to judicial sources: "The ruling makes it clear that there is no need for the House of Representatives to vote on disqualifying the two MPs."
In separate news from Ynet News, today the Jordanian parliament also approved a law which means that the state can approve or censure who is allowed to preach at mosques.
Following the November blasts at Amman, Prime MInister Marouf al-Bakhit vowed to prevent Islamist teachings advocating extremism from being allowed within mosques.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at September 3, 2006 1:43 PM
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