Terrorism: A New Reality Imposed on Jordanian Journalists.
Mohamed Al-Du’ma

Amman, Asharq Al-Awsat- Since 2000, Jordanian Intelligence has managed to thwart approximately 100 terrorism related cases from illegal crossings of borders and arms smuggling into Palestinian land, attempts to infiltrate into Iraq, internal organisations planning Israeli assassinations, the destroying of foreign interests, and assaults on foreign tourists. All cases have been handed over to the judicial authority.

In the Jordanian press, correspondents who specialise in investigating terrorist-related news also monitor press releases issued by security authorities, released for public security or general intelligence, which require careful scrutiny and regular updates. In light of the terrorist attacks on Jordan of late, such as the recent tourist attack that left one visitor to the country dead and others wounded, and the 2005 hotel bombings in the Jordanian capital Amman, the relationship between the security authorities and the press has been an ebb and flow of tension. The priority for the authorities is to arrest the culprits. It goes without saying that what is important to a man of law and order differs from what is important to a journalist, the former works in secrecy and in discretion whilst the latter works in openness. Another matter to consider is public opinion and reaction; how the public handles the events that take place, including reactions and positions during the aftermath. When I visited Abu Musab al Zarqawi’s family home to cover his family and neighbours’ reactions to his death, we were approached by a group of youngsters who were chasing journalists and media representatives and hurling stones at them to keep them away from the house. As a result, my car was damaged, and when I asked the undercover police for protection, they advised me to leave the area and said that if I wanted to file a complaint, I would need to go to the police station. However, there is also another problem; many people do not like to talk to reporters, especially regarding security violations, perhaps out of fear of the authorities or thinking that the journalists are police officers in disguise.

Asharq Alawsat runs this very interesting article on the tensions between the Jordanian media and the Jordanian security forces and their attempts to work out their differences.

The article makes it pretty clear that Jordanian media do not operate in the same ways as most of the Western media. They certainly toe lines that western journalists would not accept. But it’s also clear that there is a shared goal: informing the public with as much information as possible, adding to overall transparency. Definitely worth reading.