Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 15, 1993 TAG: 9308150029
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: AMMAN, JORDAN LENGTH: Short
Police arrested 31 students and staff members at Mu'ta University on April 15, but authorities released 23 of the suspects after extensive questioning, security officials said Saturday. Two suspects remain at large.
The cadets are suspected members of Hezb al-Tahrir, or the Islamic Liberation Party, an extremist group which seeks to overthrow the Hashemite monarchy and establish an Islamic state.
The arrests were first reported last month by suspects' families and the Cairo-based Arab Organization for Human Rights, which complained the prisoners were being held without charge. Under Jordanian law, detainees can be held for interrogation indefinitely.
On Saturday, Information Minister Maan Abu Nouwar said arrests have been made in a state security matter, but he gave no details.
Security officials, who asked not to be identified, said the plotters planned to kill Hussein, 57, June 26 at Mu'ta, 80 miles south of Amman. It was the first report of a plan to assassinate Hussein, who was crowned in 1953.
The king normally presides over the Mu'ta graduation ceremonies, but he did not this year. Instead, his younger brother, Crown Prince Hassan, attended. The reason given at the time was that the king was busy with other matters.
Hezb Al-Tahrir is believed to have around 5,000 members in Jordan, Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
by CNB