AMMAN - Jordanian authorities released on Thursday Sheikh Abu Mohammad al-Maqdisi, a leading al-Qaida spiritual guide, who was arrested last October, a security source told Reuters.
They said Maqdisi's release was ordered by the state security prosecutor. The reason for his release -- two days after the ultra-hardline Islamic State issued a video showing a captive Jordanian pilot being burned alive -- was not immediately clear.
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console.log("catid body is "+catID);if(catID==120){document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none";var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://player.anyclip.com/anyclip-widget/lre-widget/prod/v1/src/lre.js'; script.setAttribute('pubname','jpostcom'); script.setAttribute('widgetname','0011r00001lcD1i_12258'); document.getElementsByClassName('divAnyClip')[0].appendChild(script);}else if(catID!=69 && catID!=2){ document.getElementsByClassName("divConnatix")[0].style.display ="none"; var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = 'https://static.vidazoo.com/basev/vwpt.js'; script.setAttribute('data-widget-id','60fd6becf6393400049e6535'); document.getElementsByClassName('divVidazoo')[0].appendChild(script); }The self-taught intellectual was seen as the spiritual guide of the slain al-Qaida leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, but later disowned him for killing civilians indiscriminately.