Jordan sentences lawmakers for backing al-Zarqawi

Jordan's military court on Sunday sentenced two Islamist lawmakers to prison terms of up to two years for instigating sectarian strife by praising al-Qaida leader, Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi at his wake. Mohammed Abu Fares was sentenced to two years in jail and fined 400 Jordanian dinars (US$ 585.50 or euros 441.74) and Ali Abu Sukkar to 1 years and fined 200 Jordanian dinars (US$ 284.25 or euros 220.87) for their "provocative" remarks about al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed by US forces June 7. The court said their prison terms began with their arrest on June 12. The defendants provoked widespread domestic indignation when they paid their condolences at the family home of al-Zarqawi.