A Jordanian court started on Wednesday the trial of 12 suspects over rocket attacks targeting U. S. warships at the Aqaba port last August.

Six suspects, including five Syrians and one Jordanian, appeared in court while the other six, four Iraqis and two Syrians, were on trial in absentia.

The 12 were accused of conspiring to mount terror attacks, illegal possession of explosives and acts aimed to undermine relations between Jordan and a foreign country.

All of the six defendants in court, arrested in August 2005 following the attacks, pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, they might face death penalty.

After a brief session, the court decided to adjourn the trial to May 10.

Three rockets were fired at two U.S. warships in the Gulf port of Aqaba of Jordan on Aug. 19, 2005. The rockets narrowly missed their targets, but hit a nearby warehouse and a military hospital, killing one Jordanian soldier and wounding another.

Al-Qaida terror group's frontman in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was born in Jordan, claimed responsibility for the Aqaba attacks.

Jordan has long maintained close ties with the United States and the kingdom is one of the two Arab countries signing a peace treaty with Israel.

Source: Xinhua