Jordan TV airs taped confessions of suspects involved in high-profile security case

AMMAN — The Jordan TV on Tuesday night broadcast taped confessions of suspects involved in high-profile case the General Intelligence department (GID) unveiled on Tuesday. 

In the televised confessions, the suspects admitted to engaging in illegal activities that pose serious threat to national security, including the manufacturing of short-range missiles and drones as well as recruiting and training operatives and receiving funds from foreign sources.

The videos showed the eight key suspects, including three individuals at the centre of the missile manufacturing case, the key figure in the first recruitment case, two key suspects in a second recruitment operation, and two individuals involved in drone manufacturing case.

Rocket manufacturing case 

Abdullah Hisham Ahmad Abdel Rahman, born in 1989 and a civil engineering graduate of the Jordan University of Science and Technology, confessed to leading a covert operation to manufacture rocket components. He revealed that his association with the Muslim Brotherhood group began in 2002 through school and mosque activities.

According to his testimony, a Brotherhood figure identified as Ibrahim Moahmmed, currently on trial in the State Security Court, said he proposed the idea of manufacturing rockets in Jordan in 2021. Abdullah was tasked with overseeing the production of metal frames and recruited his relative, Muath Al Ghanem, to help.

The two travelled to Lebanon, where they met with someone overseeing the project. They underwent security screening and received technical training in manual machining. The workshops, hidden in the garage of a residential building, were equipped with lathes and run by experienced technicians.

Upon his return to Jordan, Abdullah began acquiring machinery and raw materials, including CNC (computer numerical control) machines, which he believed would improve precision. The equipment was imported with the help of his uncle, Mohsen Al Ghanem, who also facilitated the transfer of funds from abroad.

Abdullah established a warehouse in Zarqa and later purchased land in the Nuqayrah area to build a larger, more secure facility. He described efforts to camouflage the structure and enhance its security features, including doors made of concrete to blend in with the building's design.

Muath Ghanem, born in 1990 and also a civil engineer, confirmed his involvement. He recalled several trips to Lebanon and detailed their work in setting up workshops in Jordan, including the procurement of materials and technical equipment.

Mohsen Al Ghanem, born in 1972 and a construction materials dealer, admitted to delivering tens of thousands of dollars from abroad to Abdullah and helping to import the CNC machines. He acknowledged suspicions about the nature of the project, but continued to provide logistical support.

Recruitment cases

In the first recruitment case, Khader Abdulaziz confessed to illegally recruiting young people as part of the unlicensed Muslim Brotherhood. A longtime member since 1975, he is currently the head of the group's administrative office in Zarqa. He admitted to organising ideological and security training sessions.

In the second recruitment case, Marwan Hawamdeh, a senior Brotherhood member, confessed to recruiting Anas Abu Awad. After being introduced to foreign operatives during a trip abroad, Marwan invited Anas to join him, where they were tasked with recruiting Jordanians and coordinating secure communications via encrypted devices and Telegram.

Anas Abu Awad confirmed his role, describing how he was given encrypted tools, meeting points in Amman and Mecca, and training on "dead drop" locations, places where prohibited materials such as digital storage devices were to be hidden. He cited cemeteries in Shafa Badran and Umm Al Hiran as examples.

Drone development case

In the drone development case, suspects Ali Qassem and Abdulaziz Haroun admitted to initiating plans in late 2023 to build drones for undisclosed purposes. Along with co-conspirators Ahmad Khalifa and Abdullah Al Haddar, the group assigned roles based on technical expertise. Haroun, an aerospace engineer, was responsible for drone frames, while Khalifa handled electrical circuitry and programming.

Haroun said he researched drone materials and suggested reinforced cardboard, citing its previous use in the Ukraine conflict. The group tested glider models on private farmland and, after successful trials, considered building operational drones.

He also revealed intentions to obtain additional components through his father, who had contacts with arms dealers.