JORDAN: In a turbulent court hearing, al- Qaeda-linked suspects charged with plotting a massive chemical explosion in Jordan last year shouted insults at their military judges and threatened to pursue holy war until they toppled the kingdom's moderate Muslim Hashemite monarchy.
"Terrorism is a badge of honour on our chests until judgment day," shouted Hassan al-Smeik from the dock during a half-hour hearing yesterday. "In the name of God, we're pursuing the path of jihad until we uproot you, exterminate your state until the rule of the king vanishes."
Al-Smeik and 12 others, including al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, are charged with conspiring to commit terrorism in April 2004 with a plot to detonate an explosion at the headquarters of the general intelligence department in the capital, Amman.
The case is the first involving the cell since the November 9th triple hotel blasts claimed by al- Zarqawi's group and carried out by three Iraqi suicide bombers. Those bombings killed 63 people, including the bombers.
"Allah is our Lord, you have none; America is your God," al- Smeik shouted as eight other defendants hurled insults at three presiding judges, "but these are lies. You're the criminals because you changed God's doctrine and you're ruling to please your masters, the Americans," he said.
Al-Smeik said if Jihad "is terrorism, then we are terrorists and we're proud that we're frightening you". His fiery statements interrupted military prosecutors who were summing up their case in the trial which began nearly a year ago.
The trial was later adjourned until an unspecified date.