Jordanian police pin down church attack suspects in dawn raid
The suspects, who hid in an abandoned house, were arrested following a deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church that killed eight people.
By Madison Darwish ·
Jordanian security forces ended a three-hour gun battle on Monday morning to capture three relatives suspected of attacking a church.
Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh confirmed the arrests in a press conference, stating that all three suspects are Jordanians. They were hiding in an abandoned house in the village of al-Jadeeda, located in Karak governorate. The Public Security Directorate reported that the group refused to surrender and opened fire on officers. Forces returned fire and subdued the suspects, who sustained severe injuries. One was critically wounded. Security teams recovered firearms and ammunition at the hideout.
The suspects are from the same family, including two brothers, according to a senior security official. Authorities have not identified ties to other armed groups. Al-Farrayeh noted that investigators identified the men early in the search. Security forces raided multiple locations and expanded the search perimeter until they surrounded the final hideout.
The arrests follow an attack on St George’s Church in the village of Hamoud, which is a six-minute drive from al-Jadeeda. Armed men stormed the compound during a funeral procession on Friday. The incident killed eight people and wounded 34 others. Security camera footage showed three individuals shooting outside the church before moving toward the entrance. Other video clips show attackers firing on a group of men attempting to flee the building.
King Abdullah II ordered an aggressive response to the incident. He stated that the security and safety of Jordanians is a red line. He met with victims and said the hand of justice will reach every terrorist. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan ordered three days of national mourning. Flags were flown at half-mast over government institutions. Al-Farrayeh said the government is examining how young people are drawn to extremism. He promised to hold everyone involved accountable.
Eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday. Their coffins were draped with Jordanian flags during a funeral attended by a large crowd. Karak is home to a minority Christian community. Christians make up between 2 percent and 3 percent of Jordan's population. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Al-Farrayeh described the attackers as extremists with no relationship to humanity.
Source: Al Jazeera
