Jordan arrests three men linked to church attack that left nine dead
Security forces captured the suspects in Karak after a shootout in an abandoned building following a Friday funeral.
By Noor Phillips ·
Three armed men are in custody following a deadly shooting at a Greek Orthodox church in Jordan that killed nine people. The attack occurred on Friday during a funeral in the village of Hamoud, located in Karak governorate. Officials confirmed the arrests on Monday, noting that 40 others were injured when gunfire erupted during the service.
The Public Security Directorate stated that officers tracked the suspects to an abandoned house in Karak. The men refused to surrender and opened fire on security forces. Officers returned fire, wounding all three men before taking them into custody. Authorities reported that no security personnel were injured in the exchange and recovered multiple firearms and ammunition from the suspects.
Jordanian leaders have labeled the attackers as extremist terrorists, although no group has claimed responsibility for the violence. The Public Security Directorate did not release the names of the suspects or specify any ties to Islamist militant organizations. King Abdullah ordered security forces to respond to the assault with an iron fist, a move aimed at the country's small Christian minority.
The attack stands out as a rare instance of such violence in Jordan, a nation generally viewed as stable in the Middle East. Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are reviewing the conditions that drive young people toward extremism. He added that anyone found to have participated in the attack would be held accountable.
