An Iraqi militant who was suspected of plotting terrorist acts denied on Wednesday charges of terrorism before Jordan's State Security Court.

Ziyad Khalaf Karbouli, described as a local al-Qaida leader in the Iraqi town of Rutba near the Jordanian border, stood trial in Jordan over charges of killing and plotting terrorist acts.

Karbouli confessed on Jordanian television in May, shortly after he was arrested, to killing a Jordanian driver in Iraq in September 2005 and kidnapping two Moroccan diplomats on Nov. 20, 2005.

However, the suspect denied carrying out any terrorist attacks that caused loss of life during the court session.

Karbouli also denied the prosecution's claim that he was captured inside Iraq in a joint operation and insisted that he was kidnapped from Lebanon on May 6.

On May 23, the Jordanian government announced the arrest of a suspected member of al-Qaida in an operation launched by its General Intelligence Department and the 71st counter-terrorism battalion of Jordan's special forces.

The 23-year-old militant is the only one of 14 defendants in the case, who is in custody. The rest of the Iraqi suspects will be tried in absentia.

The trial was adjourned until Oct. 4.

Source: Xinhua