Ammon News - By Shaherah Khatatbeh

AMMONNEWS - The prominent figure in the Salafi Jihadist current in Jordan Abu Muhamamad Al Maqdisi, who is in prison for allegedly financing terrorist groups, went on hunger strike on Wednesday in protest of "abuse" by the prison administration.

Jordanian Salafi Jihadist Movement' leader, Mohammad al-Shalabi, also known as "Abu Sayyaf", said that Maqdisi demanded to be transferred from Um al-Lulu Prison in Zarqa east of Amman to the Hashimya prison (northeast Amman) bus his request was rejected. noting that the prison administration seized Maqdisi's books.

United Press International (UPI) reported on Wednesday that Islamist Salafist leader Essam Al Barqawi, known as Abu Muhamamad Al Maqdisi went on hunger strike in protest of the prison administration not offering his medicines as he was suffering from back pains.

Ammon News attempted to get a response from Maqdisi's Lawyer Majed Alliftawi, but got not answer.

Despite that Media office of the Public Security Directorate (PSD) confirmed to Ammon News that Maqdisi informed the prison's administration about going on a hunger strike without a "convincing argument," PSD denied the reports of abuse and described it as baseless.

According to the Prisons By-laws, inmates who go on a hunger strike are deprived of regular visits, Police told Ammon News over the phonek denying also that they seized Maqdisi's books.

In July,2011, Jordan's State Security Court charged Maqdisi with financing terrorism organizations and recruiting members to join an Afghan terrorist group.

The special military court sentenced Maqdisi to five years in prison after ruling a guilty verdict in a number of charges, including financing terrorism.

Upon announcing the verdict, Maqdisi exclaimed that the ruling will not "deter" him from supporting the Mujahideen.

It is noted that Al Maqdisi was released from prison in 1999 by Royal Amnesty after he was indicted in 1994, and arrested again several times between 2000 and 2007. Al Maqdisi's son was killed by US forces in Mosul, northern Iraq 2010.