Salafi-Jihadists to Jordanian Authorities: We Have Masses of People Willing to Martyr Themselves in Jordan

Last week, senior leaders of the Salafi-jihadist movement in Jordan threatened to hold a sit-down demonstration today, April 11, in Gamal 'Abd Al-Nasser Square (also called Al-Dakhiliyya Square) in central Amman, and to intensify their protest in other ways, unless the authorities released four activists from the movement who were recently arrested.

The four are 'Abd Al-Nasser Khamaysa, Mustafa 'Abd Al-Latif, Muhammad Abu 'Omar, and Furas Al-Na'lawi. The movement's spokesmen even explicitly warned that the "storm of jihad" would reach Jordan.[1]

Yesterday it was reported that the Jordanian government had released the four activists, in return for the cancellation of the demonstration.[2] At a press conference yesterday – the first to be held by the Salafi-jihadists in Jordan – the movement leaders explained that, in negotiating for the detainees' release, they had told the authorities that the movement's activists were willing to "martyr themselves" in the capital.[3] Some in the Salafi camp regarded the detainees' release as a capitulation by the Jordanian authorities to the threats of the movement leaders.[4]

It should be noted that though the movement leaders announced yesterday that the demonstration was canceled, the authorities deployed massive security forces throughout the capital today, and especially in the area of Al-Nasser Square, out of fear that the protest would take place anyway.[5]     

Read the rest on: MEMRI