Jordanian Authorities Arrest 3 Suspects in Deadly Church Attack
Security forces apprehended two brothers and their brother-in-law following a church shooting that killed nine, with officials stating no immediate ties to larger extremist networks.
Jordanian security forces arrested three individuals, including two brothers and their brother-in-law, following a shootout Monday that resulted in the apprehension of suspects in a church attack that killed nine people. Senior government security officials indicated that the arrested individuals appear to have no connections to other extremist cells.
"God willing, they only represent themselves," stated Jordan’s Director of Public Security, Major-General Obeidallah al-Maaytah, during a press conference. The country's Interior Minister, Mazen al-Faraya, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Jordan would not tolerate extremist terrorism.
Friday’s assault occurred during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, located approximately 75 miles southwest of the capital, Amman. The attack resulted in the deaths of nine people and injured at least 34 others. Witnesses reported that the gunmen fired for several minutes. The suspects, who resided near Hamoud, are expected to face legal proceedings, according to security officials. Their names were released during the press briefing.
This outbreak of violence is considered highly unusual for Jordan, a nation described as a relatively stable U.S. ally in the Middle East. King Abdullah had ordered security forces to respond with an "iron fist" following the attack on the Christian minority.
In a statement released through state media, the Public Security Directorate reported that security forces located the suspects hiding in an abandoned house. The suspects reportedly refused to surrender and initiated an attack on the security forces, who returned fire and arrested all three after they sustained injuries. No security personnel were harmed during the operation. Authorities recovered several firearms and ammunition from the suspects.
No group has claimed responsibility for the church attack. Jordan, a partner to the U.S. in counter-terrorism efforts, has previously thwarted militant plots. The security officials did not publicly link the suspects to any specific Islamist groups during the press conference. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with officials stating there are currently no indications of links to other cells.
Mourners attended a funeral service for the victims in Al-Karak, Jordan.
Funeral services were held for the victims of the church shooting in Karak, Jordan.
