A military judge called on Jordanian terrorist Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi and three other fugitives to surrender Tuesday, a step toward opening a terror conspiracy trial involving a foiled chemical attack that could have killed thousands. Al-Zarqawi, believed to be on the run in Iraq with a $25 million price on his head, and the three fugitives will be tried in absentia along with eight men in police custody since April on charges including conspiring to commit terrorism, possessing and manufacturing explosives and affiliation with a banned group. A ninth man, also detained in April, was charged only with helping two fugitives. If convicted in the military court, the 12 other men - including al-Zarqawi - face the death penalty.
No date has yet been set for the trial. But it is expected to start in early December, shortly after the expiry of a 10-day grace period issued Tuesday by Col. Fawaz Buqour, the presiding military judge in the case. In his one-page notice, made available to The Associated Press, Buqour urged the fugitives to surrender to judicial authorities before the December 2 deadline expires. The military prosecutor indicted the 13-member cell last month. A charge sheet alleged al-Zarqawi had sent more than $118,000 to the domestic terror cell to buy two vehicles that would be driven into Jordan's General Intelligence Department by suicide bombers armed with explosives and chemicals. |