Jordan’s State Security Court on Sunday handed down death sentences to three men convicted in last month’s church massacre in Karak governorate.
The men face execution by hanging. Petra said they were found guilty of terrorism offenses involving fatalities, holding arms and ammunition for terrorist purposes, and spreading a terrorist organization’s ideology. They may appeal, and the Court of Cassation must review the ruling.
Nine people were killed and 34 wounded in the October 23 attack on a funeral at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hammoud. Surveillance footage showed armed men approaching the church and shooting.
The convicted men, whose names have not been released publicly, are two Jordanian brothers and their brother-in-law.
Their capture on October 26 followed a confrontation with security forces at a deserted house in Karak. According to the Public Security Directorate, the men resisted calls to surrender and fired at the forces. All three sustained injuries when the forces shot back; no security personnel were hurt.
Later that day, Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria, saying it was targeting terrorist groups connected to the church attackers. The Jordanian military described the operation as retaliation for the massacre.
Jordan subsequently acknowledged civilian deaths in those strikes. Jordan and Syria agreed to establish a joint security committee to examine the incident and its aftermath.