Jordan's military court has sentenced al Qaeda in Iraq chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and two other militants to death for a failed suicide bombing on the Jordanian-Iraqi border a year ago.
Al-Zarqawi, who is believed to be in Iraq, and another of the defendants were sentenced in absentia on Sunday. It is the second death sentence issued against the Jordanian-born al-Zarqawi by his homeland's military court. The first was over the slaying of U.S. aid worker Laurence Foley, who was gunned down outside his Amman home in October 2002.
The court on Sunday said it found them and Saudi militant Fahd Noman Suwelim al-Feheiqi -- the only defendant in police custody -- guilty of the planned terror attack, which the prosecution said targeted civilians on the Jordanian-Iraqi borders a year ago.
The planned attack, which failed when the bomber's vehicle drove into a ditch, was intended to coincide with a blast that killed two U.S. troops at an American forward operating base near the Iraqi-Jordanian border last December. Al-Feheiqi.
"If you kill me, God will consider my death martyrdom," shouted the bearded al-Feheiqi, standing in the dock in dark blue prison uniform during the sentencing.
"I wanted to carry out the suicide bombing, but the ditch prevented me from doing so," he shouted at the judges as the presiding three judges were leaving the heavily secured courtroom after issuing the verdict. Al-Feheiqi was arrested December 3, 2004.
Al-Feheiqi's lawyer, Yousef al-Adwan, said he planned to appeal the guilty verdict. "No bombing took place, and my client didn't inflict harm on anyone," he told The Associated Press.
Jordan is a key U.S. ally and a fervent supporter of America's global war on terror. Al-Feheiqi and the fugitives -- al-Zarqawi and an Arab fugitive identified as Dhirar Ismail Abu.
al-Zarqawi Sentenced to Death
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