Hammad meets relatives of suspect killed in police operation

AMMAN — Interior Minister Salameh Hammad on Thursday met with leaders from Al Masaeed tribe to discuss the circumstances surrounding the death of one of its members during a police pursuit earlier this month.

Enad Al Masaeed, who was suspected of killing Anti-Narcotics Department (AND) Corporal Mohammad Atta Salaymeh last month in Maan’s Rashadiyeh area, died late last week in a security operation.

The Public Security Department (PSD) quoted an Interior Ministry official as saying that Masaeed was shot during a pursuit that led to a heavy exchange of gunfire.

Masaeed had served a seven-year prison term on charges related to illicit trafficking, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In 2012, he was sentenced to a 15-year imprisonment in absentia along with others on charges related to importing narcotics.

During his meeting with tribe representatives, Hammad stressed the government’s keenness on enforcing the law, saying that the security operation was in line with that endeavour, according to Petra.

He also said that many citizens complained about the presence of a group of outlaws committing various crimes, and wanted in over 135 security cases, including murder, embezzlement and illicit trafficking.

The tribal leaders commended the efforts of the ministry and security forces, adding that they will help authorities by having wanted suspects turn themselves in, Petra reported.

Salaymeh, of AND, died of wounds he sustained in a shoot-out with suspected drug dealers while on duty in an area some 220km south of Amman on September 19.

After Masaeed was killed in last Friday’s police pursuit, residents of Rashadiyeh set tyres on fire and blocked the Amman-Aqaba highway to protest his death.

Fourteen people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the riots, which left one person dead and closed the road for over five hours over the weekend.

A 35-year-old man had died of a gunshot wound to the head during the riots, according to the PSD.