[JURIST] A Jordan military court concluded two separate terrorism cases Wednesday, convicting a total of 10 suspected militants, including two fugitives in absentia, of charges stemming from alleged plots to kill Americans in Jordan [JURIST news archive]. The court sentenced the suspects to terms ranging from 10 to 20 years with hard labor, though lawyers for both sets of defendants said they plan to appeal. The first case involved an alleged terrorist scheme conceived by four Jordanian citizens planning to target Americans working at and traveling to a US-run training center for Iraqi police. Most of the six suspects convicted in the second case were young Palestinian men, who allegedly planned to attack American nationals at resort locations in Jordan, including nightclubs and liquor stores. AP has more.

Last month, Jordan's National Assembly [official website] passed a controversial new anti-terrorism bill [JURIST report] that opposition parties claim is tantamount to "martial law" [JURIST report] and an impermissible curb on civil liberties. The legislation will take effect when King Abdullah II [official website] signs it into law. Last week a top UN official encouraged the Jordanian authorities to revisit the legislation [JURIST report] to address rights issues.