Jordan Links Arrested Suspects to Bin Laden
07:44 a.m. Dec 16, 1999 Eastern

By Suleiman Khalidi

AMMAN, Jordan (Reuters) - A group of 13 ``terrorism'' suspects arrested in Jordan make up a sophisticated cell linked to Osama bin Laden that was planning year-end attacks on tourist and other sites across the kingdom, a senior Jordanian source said Thursday.

``They are graduates of the academy of terrorism in Afghanistan linked to bin Laden,'' the source said. ``They are a serious, sophisticated group that is well connected.''

Jordan said Wednesday it had arrested 11 Jordanian nationals, an Iraqi and an Algerian who were planning ''terrorist'' attacks in the kingdom after training with weapons and explosives in Afghanistan.

It did not link the men to Afghanistan-based bin Laden but U.S. officials said they were believed to be followers of the Saudi dissident, one of the most wanted men in the United States.

Their arrests, as well as that of one person in Pakistan, were one of the reasons why Washington issued a worldwide warning Saturday to Americans about a terrorist threat.

Afghanistan's Taliban movement said Thursday Arab militants had trained to fight the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended a decade ago but denied it had ever trained Arabs linked to bin Laden.

``Everyone including Jordan should be very careful and responsible about what they say...It is possible that during the Afghan jihad, Arab Mujahideen, who were many at that time, received military training,'' Taliban Foreign Minister Wakeel Ahmed Mutawak told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

``But during our time (since 1996) our government did not give military training to any of them,'' he said.

The United States told the Taliban Monday it would hold them responsible for any attacks on Americans by bin Laden. The Taliban dismissed U.S. warnings as baseless propaganda.

SUSPECTS TO STATE SECURITY COURT

The Jordanian source said the arrests were made over the last few days. ``We are very satisfied that our security forces uncovered them at an early stage in the planning,'' he said.

The men are expected to be referred to the State Security Court once investigations are complete, a normal procedure where Muslim fundamentalists charged with security offences are concerned.

Asked about the nature of the targets, the source said: ''All kinds of targets, tourist and other, in several areas of Jordan...and they planned to attack by the end of the year.''

White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said Wednesday Jordan launched an operation that resulted in a number of arrests of people believed to be members of bin Laden's organization that posed a threat to Americans.

The U.S. warning urged U.S. citizens travelling abroad through the start of the New Year and the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan to exercise caution, citing ``credible information that terrorists are planning attacks.''

The United States has accused bin Laden of masterminding the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa last year. It championed a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposed sanctions on Afghanistan until bin Laden is turned over to authorities who will ensure he stands trial.