IAF urges pardon for Jordanian imprisoned for killing 7 Israelis

AMMAN, Oct. 10 -- Jordan's Islamic Action Front (IAF) called Friday evening the government for issuing a special pardon for Jordanian prisoner Ahmad Daqamseh, who is serving a life sentence for killing seven Israelis.

In a statement on its website, IAF said Daqamseh, a former border guard, had started a hunger strike since Tuesday in protest of what he described as "mistreatment" in Al Lulo prison where he is serving the sentence.

In March 1997, Daqamseh was sentenced to life imprisonment after killing seven Israeli schoolgirls in Al Baqoura area on Jordanian-Israeli borders. Five other Israeli schoolgirls were also injured in the shooting.

A military court in Jordan charged Daqamseh of premeditated murder.

According to Jordanian law, a life sentence is equivalent to 25 years in prison.