King intervenes over Paralympians

Published Wednesday, 22 August 2012
Comments
Toggle font size
Print

King Abdullah of Jordan has personally intervened in the case of three members of the Jordanian Paralympic team accused of sex offences in Northern Ireland.

Video available to UK viewers only.
We’re sorry. This video is unavailable from your location.

To find out if this video is available to you, we need to know what region you live in. Please enter your postcode below (including space).

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for confirming your region.

Frequently Asked Questions

We are sorry but this video is not available on u.tv in your region. Your region is listed below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you in Northern Ireland?

1. Why is my postcode required?

We are asking you to insert your postcode before watching some videos to confirm you can access the video content via u.tv.

This is because some videos on u.tv are only available in Northern Ireland.

Don't worry, we won't store or use this information for any other purpose.

If you are not in Northern Ireland, the content may be available to watch at itv.com or stv.tv.

2. Why am I directed to itv.com or stv.tv when I try to view certain clips?

The videos, which are not available on u.tv to users outside Northern Ireland, will be available to those users on itv.com (for users in England and Wales) or stv.tv (for most users in Scotland).

We need to know where you are in order to make sure you are getting the right content.

If you think we've got your location wrong, then please click here.

Need more help? Contact us

Two male wheelchair-using powerlifters and a trainer were arrested in Antrim on Monday and charged following allegations of indecent assault made by two girls and two women.

The trio had been training at Antrim Forum ahead of the London Games.

At Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, a representative of the Jordanian government said the Arab administration promised to bring the defendants back to the jurisdiction for any future court appearances.

Omar Sami Qaradha, a powerlifter aged 31, faces four charges - two counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of sexual assault against a woman, and voyeurism.

Motaz al-Juneidi, a 45-year-old powerlifter, is charged with sexual assault against a woman.

Trainer Faisal Hamash, aged 35, is charged with two counts of causing sexual activity with a child.

An interpreter was in court to translate the proceedings into Arabic for the accused.

The men deny the charges which are alleged to have taken place in or near Antrim Forum, and Antrim town centre.

The trio were released on bail on Wednesday afternoon after District Judge Richard Wilson accepted the guarantees made by the Kingdom of Jordan.

The men were due to fly out of Northern Ireland on Wednesday to London where preparations are underway for the start of the 2012 Paralympic Games.

Paralympians from Jordan arrived at Antrim Forum earlier this month to complete their training ahead of the Games. The venue has also hosted Olympic athletes from Qatar, Egypt, Djbouti, Oman and Algeria.

It is understood that the International Olympic Committee is now putting pressure on the Jordanian Olympic Committee to prevent the accused from taking part in the Paralympics.

A statement from the Jordanian embassy expressed regret over the alleged events.

"The Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland regrets the events leading to the charges attributed to three members of the Jordanian Paralympic team participating in a Paralympic camp in Antrim, N. Ireland.

"In line with its duties towards its citizens, the embassy provided direct consular support to the three members of the team charged with the offences.

"A senior diplomat from the embassy attended the hearings this morning at the Magistrates Court in Antrim, and posted bail for the three sportsmen pending their reappearance in Belfast for their trial in October."

The statement concluded saying the embassy wished "to reassure the courts of its continued cooperation and maintains utmost respect for the due process of the law."

© UTV News
Comments Comments
0 Comments
No comments. Be the first to comment.
POST A COMMENT:
Name:  
Email address*:    
Location:  
Validation:
House Rules:  
Your Comment:  
[All comments are moderated and will not appear immediately. Your name, location and comment will be displayed on this page if your post passes moderation.]
MOST POPULAR GALLERIES
Obama in Northern Ireland
Mon 17 June 2013
BGT: The semi-finals
Thu 30 May 2013