Mafraq mechanic sentenced to 5 years for spreading terrorist ideology

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a July State Security Court (SSC) ruling, sentencing a mechanic to five years in prison for plotting subversive acts in Mafraq in August 2021.

The defendant was also convicted of promoting Daesh ideology and attempting to gain sympathisers for the organisation through social media.

The defendant was given the maximum punishment of five years in prison.

According to court documents, the defendant adopted the radical takfiri ideology in 2021 after monitoring Daesh’s activities in Iraq and Syria on social media.

“The defendant was convinced that Daesh applied the proper Sharia, and he decided to spread its ideology in his neighbourhood and among his relatives using social media,” the court papers said.

The defendant also sent a message to Daesh leaders “pledging allegiance to the terror group,” according to the court papers.

As a result, the court maintained, the defendant decided to target Public Security Directorate officers and sought after a gun for this purpose.

“The defendant decided to kill any police officer who visited his mechanic shop, but was arrested in August 2021 while searching for a pistol in downtown Mafraq,” the court transcripts maintained.

The SSC general prosecutor asked the higher court to uphold the sentence, stating that the SSC had followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The defendant contested the SSC ruling through his lawyer, claiming that “the SSC did not submit any evidence that he used social media to spread Daesh ideology”.

The lawyer also charged that the SSC prosecutor “failed to present any other solid evidence that would implicate his client”.

The lawyer further argued that the sentence was “harsh”, and that his client “should benefit from a reduction in penalty because he has no previous criminal record and supports a family”.

However, the higher court ruled that the SSC had followed the proper procedures and the defendant deserved the verdict that he received.

“It was clear that the defendant confessed willingly to his desire to be part of the terror group, and the authorities’ investigation procedures were correct and within the law,” the Court of Cassation said.

The Court of Cassation judges were Mohammad Ibrahim, Nayef Samarat, Mohammad Khashashneh, Hammad Ghzawi and Qassem Dughmi.