Aljazeera Sport (JORDAN CASINO GATE)

Document 20: 2003 Aqaba Special Economic Zone Gaming Agreement between GOJ and Ayla Corporation

“Aqaba Special Economic Zone Gaming Agreement,” a contract signed on December 19, 2003, by the Government of Jordan (by Nader Dahabi) and Ayla Corporation (by Khaled Masri, nephew of the GOJ Speaker of the Senate). This Gaming Agreement has never been made public. Ayla still owns the Casino licenses, as it is valid for 50 years. Faisal Fayyez was Prime Minister when it was signed and executed.

Document 19: 2007 Casino License Agreement between GOJ and Oasis Holdings

A Casino Licensing Agreement signed on September 12, 2007, by Minister of Tourism Osama Dabbas on behalf of GOJ, and Oasis Holdings executive Michel Hebert (on behalf of its owner, Shwan al-Mulla), that grants Oasis Holdings a casino license for an initial term of 50 years.

Document 18: 2007 Casino License Agreement between GOJ and Oasis Holdings

Note: This is an Arabic COPY of the original, controlling contract in English.

Document 17: Letter from Finance Minister Michael Marto Re: Duty Free Zones

Letter dated May 28, 2003, from Minister of Finance Michel Marto to a company called North Entrance. Here Marto says the ministry accepts to establish a “duty free zone” but with the condition that the company respects the laws they establish to regulate it.

Document 16: Letter from PM Al-Ragheb to Dahabi Re: Second Casino Project

Letter dated April 20, 2003, from Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb to Acting Minister of Finance Nader Dahabi. The letters deals with a second casino in Sheikh Hussein Bridge region. It discusses a request from an interested company to establish a free zone near the Sheikh Hussein Bridge specializing in electronic and tourism projects.

Document 15: Letter from PM Al-Ragheb to Dahabi Re: Authorizing Casino Negotiations

Letter dated May 22, 2003, from Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb to Acting Minister of Finance Nader Dahabi. Ragheb tells Dahabi that Dahabi has been given authority in a letter dated April 15, 2003, to negotiate with Iris on casinos; that the Council of Ministers decided on May 20, 2003, to approve issuing licenses to establish and start the hotel and Casino project; and to send all needed documents and to receive all such documents from Iris and Trillium in order to proceed with the agreement.

Document 11-14: Letter from Dahabi to PM Al-Ragheb Re: Casino License Agreements Update

Letter dated April 20, 2003, from Acting Minister of Finance Nader Dahabi to Prime Minister Ali Abu al-Ragheb. The letter reveals the Government of Jordan had issued two (2) separate Casino gaming licenses on December 19, 2003, while Faisal al Fayyez was Prime Minister.

Dahabi informs al-Ragheb that in reference to al-Ragheb's letter sent on 20 April 2003, the Council of Ministers decided on 15 April to give authority to Dahabi to negotiate on behalf of the GOJ for a Casino deal with the Iris Corporation for Investment (owned and operated by the powerful al-Masri family). This letter discusses the terms of the GOJ-IRIS agreement. The company designated to subcontract for Iris is listed as Trillium Gaming Inc., a company chaired by a Canadian Senator.