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Jordan’s King Abdullah II Returns Home to Cheers After Swift Executions Jordan’s King Abdullah II Returns Home to Cheers After Swift Executions
(about 1 hour later)
AMMAN, Jordan — King Abdullah II returned here to an unexpectedly warm welcome on Wednesday, as cheering crowds expressed support for the country’s swift executions of two terrorist prisoners in retaliation for the Islamic State’s grisly killing of a Jordanian pilot.AMMAN, Jordan — King Abdullah II returned here to an unexpectedly warm welcome on Wednesday, as cheering crowds expressed support for the country’s swift executions of two terrorist prisoners in retaliation for the Islamic State’s grisly killing of a Jordanian pilot.
The state news agency Petra confirmed that two Iraqis already on death row here, a would-be suicide bomber, Sajida al-Rishawi, and a former top lieutenant of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Ziad al-Karbouli, were executed Wednesday at dawn, less than 12 hours after ISIS released a video that showed the Jordanian pilot, First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh, being burned alive inside a cage. The state news agency Petra confirmed that two Iraqis already on death row here, a would-be suicide bomber, Sajida al-Rishawi, and a former top lieutenant of Al Qaeda in Iraq, Ziad al-Karbouli, were executed Wednesday at dawn, less than 12 hours after the Islamic State released a video that showed the Jordanian pilot, First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh, being burned alive inside a cage.
Jordan has another 100 prisoners on death row, but only three of them are known to have been convicted of terrorism offenses. Jordan has 100 more prisoners on death row, but only three of them are known to have been convicted of terrorism offenses.
A spokesman for the Jordanian military, Col. Mamdouh al-Ameri, had earlier vowed that “the revenge will be equal to what happened to Jordan.”A spokesman for the Jordanian military, Col. Mamdouh al-Ameri, had earlier vowed that “the revenge will be equal to what happened to Jordan.”
Ms. Rishawi was sent to participate in the suicide bombings in 2005 of three Amman hotels that killed at least 57 people, but her vest did not explode; Mr. Karbouli was considered one of the planners of that attack. Their organization later became the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.Ms. Rishawi was sent to participate in the suicide bombings in 2005 of three Amman hotels that killed at least 57 people, but her vest did not explode; Mr. Karbouli was considered one of the planners of that attack. Their organization later became the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
The king had cut short his previously unannounced trip to Washington on Monday after a quick meeting with President Obama, who expressed strong support for Jordan, one of six Arab nations that are part of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, mostly through air raids. The king cut short his previously unannounced trip to Washington after a quick meeting with President Obama, who expressed strong support for Jordan, one of six Arab nations that are part of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, mostly through air raids.
Ms. Rishawi, in 2006, and Mr. Karbouli, in 2007, had been sentenced to death by Jordanian courts and had exhausted all appeals, but they were not executed because of a long-term moratorium on the death penalty in Jordan. That moratorium was lifted only last December. Ms. Rishawi, in 2006, and Mr. Karbouli, in 2007, had been sentenced to death by Jordanian courts and had exhausted all appeals, but were not executed because of a long-term moratorium on the death penalty in Jordan. That moratorium was lifted in December.
The king's signature is required for death warrants, and the executions, which are normally carried out by hanging in Jordan, came while the king’s plane was still in the air from Washington.The king's signature is required for death warrants, and the executions, which are normally carried out by hanging in Jordan, came while the king’s plane was still in the air from Washington.
Abdullah landed in Jordan about midday, and he was greeted by crowds of thousands of people lining the road to the airport and nearby service roads, in an unusual outpouring of public support. Some were bussed in from schools and universities, but many came on their own as well. King Abdullah landed in Jordan about midday, and he was greeted by thousands of people lining the road to the airport and nearby service roads, in an unusual outpouring of public support. Some were bused in from schools and universities, but many came on their own.
The mood was celebratory, with car horns blaring, flags waving, and displays of pictures of the king and the pilot, with slogans like, “We Are All Moaz.”The mood was celebratory, with car horns blaring, flags waving, and displays of pictures of the king and the pilot, with slogans like, “We Are All Moaz.”
“We wanted to show the family that he is a martyr, and that is something to celebrate,” said one of the well-wishers, Walid Aladine, 22, a university student. Like many of the others, he was euphoric that the two convicted terrorists had been executed, and wanted to express his approval to the king. “We wanted to show the family that he is a martyr, and that is something to celebrate,” said one well-wisher, Walid Aladine, 22, a university student. Like many of the others, he was euphoric that the two convicted terrorists had been executed, and wanted to express his approval to the king.
“It gave us back some of our rights,” said his friend Hashim Abu Yahyeh, 27, also a student.“It gave us back some of our rights,” said his friend Hashim Abu Yahyeh, 27, also a student.
Both men said that until the current hostage crisis, and the beheadings of two Japanese men and the killing of Lt. Kasasbeh, many Jordanians had been prepared to support ISIS. “After what we’ve seen, no one will support them,” Mr. Aladine said. Both men said that before the hostage crisis, the beheading of two Japanese men and the killing of Lieutenant Kasasbeh, many Jordanians had been prepared to support the Islamic State militants. “After what we’ve seen, no one will support them,” Mr. Aladine said.
As outrage spread across the Arab world, the leader of Egypt’s premier institute of Islamic scholarship called Tuesday night for the extremists responsible for the death of Lieutenant Kasasbeh to be killed, maimed or even crucified.
Denouncing the Islamic State as a “diabolical” terrorist group, the institute's leader, Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, cited Quranic verses to show that Islam forbids killing without justification, as well as the burning or mutilation of enemies at war.
“This vile terrorist act,” he said in a statement issued by Al-Azhar, “requires punishment as cited by the Quran for oppressors and spoilers on earth who fight God and his prophet, that they be killed, or crucified, or their hands and legs cut off.”
Al-Azhar, the cornerstone of Egypt’s state-sponsored religious establishment, considers itself a beacon of moderation and tolerance for the Sunni Muslim world, and the statement offered no explanation for the incongruity of Sheikh Tayeb’s advocacy for the same medieval punishments typically employed by extremists.
Human Rights Watch’s representative in Amman, Adam Coogle, said it was important to note that Jordan had not killed the two prisoners in an extrajudicial or illegal manner under Jordanian or international law, but he still expressed regret that the executions had been carried out.Human Rights Watch’s representative in Amman, Adam Coogle, said it was important to note that Jordan had not killed the two prisoners in an extrajudicial or illegal manner under Jordanian or international law, but he still expressed regret that the executions had been carried out.
“Jordan’s interests would still be better served by holding back and making a clear distinction between themselves and these criminals running around Syria,” he said. “Today it’s hard to make that argument. People are calling for vengeance.”“Jordan’s interests would still be better served by holding back and making a clear distinction between themselves and these criminals running around Syria,” he said. “Today it’s hard to make that argument. People are calling for vengeance.”
Abundant information trickled out that Lt. Kasasbeh had already been killed on Jan. 3, both from Jordanian government officials and from at least two Twitter accounts monitoring the extremists that were reporting his death, by burning, in early January.Abundant information trickled out that Lt. Kasasbeh had already been killed on Jan. 3, both from Jordanian government officials and from at least two Twitter accounts monitoring the extremists that were reporting his death, by burning, in early January.
ISIS had claimed he was alive last week, saying that they would spare his life and release a Japanese hostage, Kenji Goto, in exchange for Ms. Rishawi’s freedom. ISIS had said that he was alive last week, adding that it would spare his life and release a Japanese hostage, Kenji Goto, in exchange for Ms. Rishawi’s freedom.
Jordan demanded proof of life for its pilot first, which never came, and the extremists beheaded Mr. Goto on Saturday, then on Tuesday released the video of the pilot’s death. Jordan then demanded proof of life for its pilot, which never came, and the extremists beheaded Mr. Goto on Saturday. On Tuesday, ISIS released the video of the pilot’s death.
The Japanese government continued on Wednesday to express support for Jordan’s handling of the crisis and condemnation for ISIS. “I am infuriated,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. “I am rendered speechless to think of how his family must be feeling. Japan stands with Jordan during these difficult times.”The Japanese government continued on Wednesday to express support for Jordan’s handling of the crisis and condemnation for ISIS. “I am infuriated,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. “I am rendered speechless to think of how his family must be feeling. Japan stands with Jordan during these difficult times.”