Persian Realm

Radical Muslim cleric to appeal deportation to Jordan

Radical Muslim cleric to appeal deportation to Jordan (cnn)

London (CNN) -- A hearing into whether a Muslim cleric who has been described as "more radical than Osama bin Laden" can avoid deportation from Britain to stand trial in Jordan began Wednesday in London.

Britain has been trying to deport Abu Qatada for years, but his legal appeals have kept him in the United Kingdom. He is accused of funding terrorist groups and is said to have inspired one of the 9/11 hijackers.

• Abu Qatada was convicted in absentia of terror-related charges in Jordan
• British official says Jordan will quash that conviction and retry him
• Abu Qatada is also accused of funding terrorist groups and inspiring a 9/11 hijacker
• He has said deportation would put him at risk of torture and lengthy pretrial detention

Growing discontent among Jordan's opposition forces

By Shaimaa Khalil

BBC News, Amman

Simmering anger (bbc)

Growing discontent among Jordan's opposition forces

The deteriorating economy and the diminishing role of the public sector have affected other groups of Jordanian society, including the tribes, who have always been known for their allegiance to the King and the government.

Jumana Ghneimat is editor-in-chief of the Jordanian Ghad newspaper. She says the anger among the tribes is a dangerous development.

Jordan MP under investigation for pulling gun on TV

A Jordanian member of parliament is under investigation after pulling a gun on a rival in a TV talk show, prosecutors said.

Mohammed Shawabka pointed a revolver at political activist Mansour Saif al-Din Murad after he was insulted in a debate on Syria.

The brawl on Thursday evening was eventually broken up by chatshow host Mohammed Habashna. No shots were fired.

Mr Murad has accused his opponent of attempted murder.

The fight, aired live on the private Jordanian Josat satellite station, began when Mr Shawabka called Mr Murad an "Assad spy".

In response, Mr Murad, a former Palestinian guerrilla, accused the politician of being a spy for Mossad, the Israeli secret service.

Gun pulled during live debate on Jordanian TV

A live television programme in Jordan descended into chaos, with a politician threatening an opponent with a gun.

The debate between MP Mohammad Shawabka and political activist Mansour Murad became heated after the two men traded insults with each other.

The politician then hurled his shoe at Mr Murad and brandished a pistol at him.

No shots were fired and no-one was too seriously hurt.

Don't tell me being a King & Being a dictator is the same thing

Syrian children 'used as shields' (bbc)

Children in Syria have accused troops of using them as human shields, forcing them to ride on tanks, a UN report has revealed.

Jordan treating victims of Mid-East violence

Jordan's hospital for 'untreatable injuries' (bbc, VIDEO)

Six years ago a group of surgeons opened a temporary clinic in Jordan to operate on Iraqis with injuries untreatable in their home country.

But recent violence in Libya, Yemen and Syria has led to the project being extended and expanded.

After the horrors of war and torture, the patients are given a chance of a normal life.

Caroline Hawley reports.

'No systematic torture in Jordan' say's FM

'No systematic torture in Jordan' (BBC, HARD TALK)

The radical cleric Abu Qatada has been fighting deportation to Jordan for six years on the grounds that he could face possible torture.

But Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Abu Qatada would get a fair trial. He told HARDtalk's Sarah Montague that torture was banned under the Jordanian Constitution and there was no systematic torture in his country.

You can watch the full interview on BBC World News on Monday 14 May at 03:30, 08:30, 15:30 and 20:30 GMT and on the BBC News Channel on Monday 14 May at 00:30 BST and on Tuesday 15 May at 04:30 BST. 

Jordan's king faces increasing dissent as reforms stall

Building pressure (bbc) 

By Dale GavlakBBC News, Amman

Jordan's king faces increasing dissent as reforms stall

Pressure is mounting on King Abdullah of Jordan, a key US ally, to respond to similar popular demands that have turned the Middle East upside down over the past year-and-a-half.

Promised political and economic reforms appear to be stalling. Last week, King Abdullah appointed his fourth prime minister since the Arab Spring started here 17 months ago.

Protests erupted in the impoverished countryside south of the capital, Amman, last year before the uprisings which overthrew the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt.

Human Rights Watch: Jordan 'suppressing free speech'

The Jordanian authorities are violating people's right to free speech and undermining the credibility of reform efforts, a human rights group has said.

Human Rights Watch said a journalist and the publisher of the Gerasa News website had been charged with "subverting the system of government".

The charges related to an article about King Abdullah's alleged intervention in a corruption investigation, it added.

HRW said the case was the fifth such incident in Arab kingdom this year.

"Jordan cannot claim to be making democratic reforms while prosecutors hunt down journalists doing their job”

The scum should have been deported..

The case of scum abu quatada shows how much patience the western societies such as Britain in dealing with these islamic swines has had. These islamic scums live in west on costs of tax payers and abuse the human rights laws against the society. Deport him to whereever hell he comes from.

UK re-arrests cleric Abu Qatada who could be deported to Jordan

Radical cleric Abu Qatada has been arrested and told the Home Office will try to deport him, the BBC understands.

He is expected to appear at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission on Tuesday afternoon, when the home secretary will update MPs on his case.

The European Court of Human Rights blocked his deportation to Jordan in January, saying evidence obtained by torture might be used against him.

Ministers have been seeking assurances from Jordan this will not be the case.