THREE OF FOUR MEN; ARMS.




Initials PBS/V-S/CR/GLH



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Background: FOUR MEN, ALLEGED BY JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES TO BE CONFESSED SYRIAN SABOTUERS, ARE BEING DETAINED IN IRBID, IN NORTHERN JORDAN.

THE MEN WERE ARRESTED AFTER A GUN BATTLE LAST WEEK WITH JORDANIAN FORCES. ONE WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED.

JORDANIAN OFFICIALS SAID THE MEN HAD A QUANTITY OF ARMS AND EXPLOSIVES IN THEIR POSSESSION WHEN ARRESTED. IT IS ALLEGED THEY ENTERED JORDAN FROM SYRIA ON 28 NOVEMBER WITH NINE OTHER MEN.

THEIR MISSION, ACCORDING TO JORDANIAN AUTHORITIES, WAS TO DESTROY BRIDGES, POWER HOUSES AND WATER STORAGE TANKS.

IN A RECORDING, SAID TO BE A CONFESSION BY THE FOUR MEN, ONE SAID THEY HAD RECEIVED THEIR ORDERS FROM A SYRIAN LIEUTENANT COLONEL. THE MAN SAID HE WAS ONE OF 250 MEN WHO HAD UNDERGONE THREE MONTHS TRAINING IN SYRIAN MILITARY CAMPS.

ANOTHER OF THE MEN IN THE RECORDING SAID THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WERE TO RECEIVE A TOTAL OF 150 SYRIAN POUNDS (GBP13 STERLING) FOR THEIR WORK.