Jordan State Security court sentences three men to death in 2018 terrorism case

The three were among 13 men who went on trial in connection with the killing of six policemen five years ago

A view of the city of Al Salt, about 30km west of Amman, Jordan. AFP

Jordan's State Security court sentenced three men to death on Wednesday in connection with a 2018 terrorism case in which six policemen were killed, state TV has said.

The three, one of whom is on the run, were linked to a bomb attack on a police vehicle in the western Fuheis suburb of Amman in August 2018. The attack killed two policemen.

They were charged with manufacturing explosives with the intention of “committing terrorist acts”, conspiracy to commit terrorism and promoting the “thought of a terrorist organisation”.

The day after the Fuheis attack, four policemen were killed in the central city of Al Salt when a security force fought with a group of men suspected of involvement in the Fuheis operation, state TV said.

The men barricaded themselves in a building in the city and refused to surrender, the authorities said at the time, adding that they blew up part of the building.

The court tried another ten men in the same case but they were charged with lesser crimes. Eight received prison sentences of five to 20 years, and two were acquitted.

The authorities did not give details on the nationalities of those who went on trial or which terrorist group the Security Court was referring to.

Jordan's State Security Court holds its proceedings in secret and has wide powers.

At the time of the Fuheis attack in 2018 the authorities were expecting the possibility of revenge attacks by ISIS for Jordan's participation in the US-led international coalition that ended the presence of the group in most of Syria and Iraq.

Earlier in 2018, authorities said security forces foiled ISIS plans to attack security compounds, shopping malls and unidentified religious figures in Jordan.