Man gets 9 years in jail for terror plot

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld an October State Security Court (SSC) ruling sentencing a man to nine years in prison after convicting him of attempting to join terrorist groups and plotting subversive acts in the Kingdom in 2017.

The court declared the defendant, who is a supporter of the Daesh extremist group, guilty of threatening to conduct terrorist activities against security officers and handed him the maximum sentence.

Court papers said the defendant was following up on Daesh terror group’s activities and decided to adopt their ideologies and join them in their fight in Iraq in 2014.

"The defendant decided to target security officers and also decided to attack Israeli soldiers who are patrolling the borders and started studying Google Maps to accomplish his goal," court transcripts said.

The defendant was arrested before carrying out any of his plots after he was arrested by the General Intelligence Department," court papers said.

The defendant, through his lawyer, contested the verdict arguing that the SSC failed to present any solid evidence that could implicate him.

Meanwhile, the SSC's attorney general  had asked the higher court to uphold the ruling stating that the court abided by the proper legal procedures when sentencing the defendant.

The higher court ruled that the SSC followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant and that he deserved the verdict he received.