Amman - Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) Wednesday charged two Jordanians with committing acts of terrorism by plotting to kill an Israeli businessman in the country, judicial sources said.

"The tribunal accused Mohammad Udallah, 36, and Luai Shehadeh, 37, of conducting acts of terrorism and the possession of an automatic weapon for illegal use," the sources added.

The two men aimed to kill the Israeli businessman on January 3, but called off the attack when they saw a police patrol in the area, the judicial sources said, without divulging the identity of the intended victim. He was described as the owner of a plant in the Qualified Industrial Zone near Irbid, 80 kilometres north of Amman.

The two suspects were arrested on January 6 by the General Intelligence Department and confessed to the charges, they added. (dpa)