Jordan's army chief endorses sentence on Daqamseh

The chief of staff has endorsed a military court verdict condemning a Jordanian soldier to life in prison for killing seven Israelis, officials and newspapers said.

Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Kaaban signed the warrant, said a military official, speaking on the customary condition of anonymity.

Jordanian's newspapers said Kaaban's endorsement is final unless King Hussein, the supreme commander of the armed forces, used his power to reduce the sentence or cancel it altogether.

A military court sentenced Cpt. Ahmed Daqamseh last Saturday to life in prison at hard labor for shooting the seven Israelis to death.

The soldier has pleaded innocent. He claimed the Israelis had scoffed at him as he prayed on the Naharayim island on the Jordan River.