AMMAN: A senior government official says Jordan's king has released 46 prisoners convicted on terrorism-related charges, including some with links to Al Qaeda.

The official said on Sunday that King Abdullah II had issued a special pardon as a “gesture of good will” to give the prisoners another chance in life.

He says that those pardoned on Saturday served at least half of their jail sentences, which ranged from 10 years to life.

They include some who were convicted of conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli and American tourists during Jordan's 2000 millennium celebrations.

One of those to be freed is Raed Hijazi, a naturalised US citizen of Palestinian-Jordanian origin.—AP