Jordan’s ‘earth-shaking’ response begins with al-Qaeda executions

Amman yesterday vowed to escalate involvement in the US-led coalition against Islamic State (IS), which occupies large tracts of territory in Iraq and Syria, following the apparent burning to death of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh. Jordan said its retribution would be "Earth-shaking".

Determined to take pre-empt Lieut Kaseasbeh’s fellow tribesmen from wreaking vengeance on local al-Qaeda sympathisers, Jordan began with a half-measure by hanging two Iraqi al-Qaeda operatives at dawn. Sajida al-Rishawi (44) was a would-be suicide bomber whose vest failed to detonate during a 2005 attack on hotels in Amman, while Ziad al-Karbouly was sentenced to death in 2008 for killing a Jordanian.

IS had demanded the release of Rishawi in exchange for Japanese hostage Kenji Goto and the life of the pilot, but negotiations broke down when Jordan demanded proof thatKaseasbeh was alive. He had been executed on January 3rd and Goto was beheaded last weekend.

Blood feuds

Another three Iraqi al-Qaeda agents on death row face execution but, since many other imprisoned members of the group are Jordanian tribesmen, the government is unlikely to hang them for fear of blood feuds.

Returning early from a visit to the US, where he was promised an increase in aid from $660 million (€578 million) to $1 billion, King Abdullah took charge of policy on IS. In an exchange revealing the close relationship between loyalist tribesmen, who form the backbone of military, and the monarch, the king told the flight lieutenant's father, Safi Kaseasbeh, "The crown prince is no dearer to me than Muath."

Kaseasbeh snr replied by offering his “condolences to His Majesty over the death of his son Muath. I implore the Almighty to grant his other son [Prince] Hussein long life.”

A former opponent of Jordanian involvement in the campaign against IS, Kaseasbeh declared the executed Iraqis “criminals who tried to destroy this country” and asked that Jordan’s revenge should not end with them, demanding that IS be “wiped out” entirely.

Widely circulated video of the horrific ordeal of the pilot, confined to a cage, doused in petrol and set alight, has shocked Jordanians of all backgrounds and political persuasions. It has united them, at least temporarily, although conservatives and fundamentalists have been sharply critical of the government’s participation in the coalition. Facebook and social media have been flooded with messages condemning IS and mourning the pilot’s death.

The execution has also drawn sharp condemnation from key figures and organisations in the Arab world as well as in the West. Leading Sunni jurist Sheikh al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb said the killers should be “killed, crucified or have their limbs amputated”. Saudi King Salman called the immolation of Lieut Kaseasbeh “inhuman and contrary to Islam”.

The Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood said the "criminal act violated the rights of prisoners of war under Islamic law".

Residents intimidated

In the de facto capital of IS, Syria’s Raqqa, the video was shown on large screens with the aim of intimidating residents.

The execution was meant to frighten Arab pilots from flying missions against IS fighters and facilities in Syria and Iraq. For several months US warplanes have carried out 90 per cent of operations, but Arab aircraft have played a minor operational but important public relations role.

After Kaseasbeh was captured on December 24th, the United Arab Emirates suspended flights, demanding rescue of downed pilots.

Syria's foreign ministry condemned the murder and called on Jordan to join Damascus in the battle against IS. However, the pro-government daily al-Watan castigated Amman for supporting rebels fighting the government while al-Baath, the mouthpiece of the ruling party, stated: "Jordan is reaping the results of its support for terrorism."