AMMAN // A military court yesterday released on bail 15 hardline Islamists out of 150 people charged with terrorism-related offences after clashes with police during a protest in April.
The violence erupted during a rally in Zarqa to free fellow Salafis held in prisons since the late 1990s.
More than 80 people were injured during the clashes.
At the first court hearing in August, the charge sheet accused the men of being armed with swords and clubs and threatening to kill police officers.
They were also accused of adopting the takfiri ideology, which is banned in the country.
If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
On Tuesday the court in Marka, Amman, began hearing bail applications, raising expectation that all those being held for the violence would be pardoned before the Eid holiday.
The 15 released are members of the Salafi movement, which calls for the implementation of rigid teachings of Islam.
None of the movement's leading figures were released yesterday.
Majed Liftawi, a lawyer for some of the accused, said he was told by the court that others charged in the case will "be released in batches".
The bail was set at 1,000 Jordanian dinars (Dh5,142).
