Lower House fully supports anti-terror fight — speaker

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Sunday pledged the legislature’s full support for Jordan’s anti-terror efforts.

Tarawneh opened Sunday’s session by reading a statement expressing the Chamber’s stance on Jordan’s war against terror, stressing that the Jordanian response to the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist organisation’s killing of pilot Muath Kasasbeh will be “earth shaking”.

“Muath has turned into a unifying icon for Jordanians... Jordan’s vengeance will be massive and hurting. We will not settle for [anything less] than daily victories in the war,” the speaker said.

He noted that the large-scale terrorism and radicalism the region is suffering from now is the direct outcome of the weakness His Majesty King Abdullah once warned against in pursuing decisive terror-eradicating efforts.

Tarawneh expressed confidence in the capabilities of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and other security bodies in winning the war and safeguarding the country’s security and stability.

The speaker also conveyed the Chamber’s condolences to the Kasasbeh family, assuring them of an effective retaliation by the Arab Army.

He also said that the old mosque within the Parliament’s premises will be renovated and named after the fallen pilot.

Also on Sunday, 35 MPs signed a memorandum requesting an allowance of not less than JD150 for the pilots of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, citing their tremendous efforts in the war against IS.