"The state security court sentenced the five Salafist convicts, who have ties of friendship, to five years in jail with hard labor each for attempting to infiltrate Syria and join Al-Nusra and fight” the Syrian government, he told AFP on Monday.

"Border guards ambushed and arrested the men in February 2012 as they tried to cross the border carrying AK-47 assault rifles," the official added.

"They were charged with the possession of unlicensed automatic weapons with the intent to use them unlawfully as well as carrying out acts that would expose Jordan and its citizens to the risk of acts of aggression and revenge."

Last week, the military court jailed another seven Jordanians on similar charges.

Jordan, which is hosting more than 500,000 Syrian refugees, has jailed dozens of men convicted of trying enter Syria to fight alongside militant forces.

Amman denies accusations from the Syrian government that Jordan has opened up its borders to terrorist militants.

Salafist leaders in Jordan have told AFP that hundreds of militants from the kingdom have managed to cross into Syria since the start of its conflict in March 2011.

BA/BA