The Palestinian-born mentor of slain al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi pleaded innocent at the opening of his trial on terrorism charges in Jordan on Monday.
Isam Mohammed Taher al-Barqawi and three other Jordanian-Palestinians, including a fugitive who is being tried in absentia, are charged with recruiting militants in Jordan to join a "terrorist organization" identified as the Taliban in Afghanistan. The four are also charged with attempting to harm Jordan's relations with Afghanistan.
If convicted, they face 15 years in jail.
