[JURIST] A court in Jordan [JURIST news archive] sentenced 12 men Sunday to prison for plotting terrorist attacks against the US embassy [embassy website] and the Israeli embassy in Jordan. The men were also accused of planning attacks against a popular hotel in Irbid, the home of a cultural festival director, and an American troupe performing in Jordan. Upon learning of their sentences, which range from one and a half to three years, the defendants praised the September 11 attacks on the US and group mastermind Abed Shihadeh al-Tahawi said, "This verdict will not dissuade us from pursuing the path of jihad." Separately, the court upheld the 2004 conviction of a Jordanian al-Qaida terror cell leader Ahmad Mahmoud al-Riyati, who was sentenced to seven and a half years for plotting terror attacks [AP report] against unidentified US and Israeli interests. Aljazeera has more. The Jordan Times has local coverage.