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Amman recalls diplomat

from Baghdad

AMMAN: Troubled by the mysterious deaths of five Jordanians in Iraq during the past three weeks, Jordan on Saturday recalled its ambassador from Iraq for consultations.

The development signaled a further strain in relations between Jordan and its eastern neighbor and onetime ally.

A government source said Prime Minister Abdul--Karim Kabariti summoned Ambassador Bassam Qaqish ''for consultations over the recent events against Jordanians in Iraq.

'''We will not allow the security and safety of our citizens to be tampered with,'' said the source, who spoke to The Associated Press in exchange for anonymity.

Qaqish took up his post a year ago.

Kabariti also summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nouri Elwayess and lodged an ''official protest and sought clarifications for the death of the Jordanians.''

It said Kabariti ''expressed concern and dismay over the criminal acts which claimed the lives of several innocent Jordanians ...

'''The prime minister demanded that the Iraqi government take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Jordanians and bring to justice the perpetrators,'' Petra said.

It quoted Elwayess as saying ''the Iraqi government is keen to investigate the matter'' and that '''Jordanians are being treated well in Iraq and these incidents happen everywhere.''

Security sources said three Jordanians, identified as Mohammed Saleh Abu--Zeid, 26, Mohammed Kheir Abu--Zeid, 24, and Izzeddine Idweiri, were killed in late March after they crossed the Iraqi Treibil border post to deliver 22 tons of sugar to an unidentified Iraqi merchant.

the sources said the men were stopped by an Iraqi army patrol and asked to change their destination.

One source, demanding anonymity, said the three were shot to death and their bodies ''chopped off to pieces.'' The source said the Iraqi government blamed the incident on ''highway gangsters.''

The sources said two Jordanian students were killed in Baghdad last week. They declined to provide other details because an investigation was still under way.

Government officials have said Jordanian diplomats and some 1,000 students studying in Iraq were being harassed - apparently in retaliation for public Jordanian criticism of the Iraqi leadersmip.-AP