Leith Shbeilat leaves Jordanian prison

The Jordanian authorities on Thursday released Islamic opposition member Leith Shbeilat who completed a 9-month prison sentence after being convicted of "provoking aggregation and massing" on the eve of confrontations in the Jordanian city of Maan during February.

Shbeilat, known for his opposition to King Hussein, said after his release he was wrongly jailed. He was arrested on February 20 just hours after he delivered a speech in Maan in which he criticized the Jordanian position in support of the West in the crisis between Iraq and the UN at that time.

On that day, one man was killed in confrontations between the Jordanian police and pro-Iraq demonstrators. The confrontations lasted for two days.

Shbeilat was the chairman of the Jordanian Engineers Union and a member of the Jordanian Parliament. He is one of the main opposers of the peace treaty Jordan signed with Israel in 1994.

Shbeilat, in addition is a strong and harsh critic over King Hussein's alienation from Iraq and for consolidating his relations with the US. Following a January meeting with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, Shbeilat succeeded in winning the release of tens of Jordanians who used to be held in Iraq.

In 1996, Shbeilat was jailed after being convicted of insulting the King. In earlier times, Shbeilat was sentenced to death, but the King interfered to pardon him.

However, during his recent imprisonment Shbeilat refused a royal pardon. He said the freedom to express himself "to make speeches" is his basic right, which he does not expect to get from anybody as a donation or an offer even if it is King Hussein.

He added that if the King wants to grant him an offer, he has then to give him something that it is not his own right.

Shbeilat added that he does not think he will immediately return to political circles for several reasons, including that other opposition leaders have feelings of fear, a matter which prevents them from supporting his plans.