Five Irbid cell terrorists sentenced to death

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Wednesday sentenced five defendants in the "Irbid terror cell" case to death by hanging, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The SSC also handed 15-year jail sentences to three defendants, while seven were sentenced to 10 years in prison, one sentenced for seven years and four for three years, Petra reported. 

The defendants were found guilty of committing terrorist acts that caused deaths, using weapons in terrorist acts, manufacturing explosives with the intention of perpetrating terrorist acts and possessing weapons and ammunition to commit acts of terrorism. 

Other charges include plotting to carry out terrorist acts and promoting terrorist ideologies.

Some of the suspects were arrested in February, and their arrest led to a raid on a building in Irbid on March 2, which left one special anti-terror unit officer and seven suspects dead.

The General Intelligence Department (GID) said at the time of the raid that the seven suspects who were killed had opened fire at security officers with machineguns and were wearing explosive belts.

The raid, which also resulted in the injury of five officers and two civilians, was followed by the arrest of 13 additional suspects.

Shortly after their arrest, the GID said the suspects were Daesh affiliates who were planning to carry out attacks on military and civilian sites in the Kingdom.

According to Article 9 of the SSC Law, the verdicts can be appealed at the Cassation Court within 30 days.