Terror versus diplomacy

On Tuesday, Jordan’s kidnapped Ambassador Mohammed Itan made it home after being in captivity for the past few weeks. Gunmen took Itan from his vehicle in central Tripoli near the Jordanian Embassy on April 15. Assailants opened fire on his car, wounded his driver and then forced him out at gunpoint.
The incident was one of the latest high-profile abductions in the lawless African nation, nearly more than two years since the country’s 8-month civil war ended with Muammar Qaddafi’s killing in October 2011.
Soon after the kidnapping took place, the Jordanian diplomacy formed a crisis management committee and studied all options to ensure a safe release of the diplomat. Those efforts were being made in secrecy despite the media’s demand for transparency.
Although the kidnappers preconditioned Itan’s release to Jordan’s releasing Libyan prisoner Mohammad Dersi, the deal that has secured Itan’s release does not mean that Jordan subdued to the kidnappers’ demands.
Of course, agreeing to the kidnappers’ demand could set a dangerous precedent for Jordan, an important US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda, and many other countries who might find themselves in a similar position.
But Dersi, who was serving a life imprisonment in Jordan for plotting to carry out a bombing attack against Queen Alia International Airport in 2006, has been handed to Libyan authorities, which corresponds to an extradition agreement Libya signed with Jordan some 10 days ago.
Openness and transparency are of course required at all times, but sometimes when human security is involved then the rules of the diplomatic game change.
The media was a little harsh at times in its criticism of the Foreign Ministry for not revealing any news regarding the efforts made to bring the ambassador back home. The Jordanian diplomacy succeeded in saving the life of the diplomat and bringing him back to his family safe and sound.
Whether Dersi will be handed over to the kidnappers or serve his remaining sentence in Libyan jails should not be a concern for Jordanians as what is more important now is that Itan is back with his family and beloved ones and his country.

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