Jordanian Police Detain Three Suspects in Hamoud Church Shooting
Armed men were found in an abandoned house in Karak after a Friday funeral attack killed nine and wounded forty.
By Petra Murphy ·
Nine people died and forty were injured during a funeral service at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on Friday. The shooting occurred in Karak governorate, a region situated roughly 120 kilometres southwest of Amman. Witnesses stated that the gunfire continued for several minutes before it ceased.
Jordanian security forces located three armed suspects on Monday while they were hiding in an abandoned house in Karak. The Public Security Directorate reported that the men refused to surrender and opened fire on officers. Security personnel returned the fire, wounding all three suspects before taking them into custody. The directorate stated that no officers were hurt during the exchange and that they recovered multiple firearms and ammunition from the scene.
Authorities have characterized the incident as an attack by extremist terrorists, though no group has claimed responsibility. The Public Security Directorate did not release the names of the three suspects or confirm specific ties to Islamist militant organizations. In a statement, the directorate noted that terrorism has no place among the population and described the suspects as having met their just fate.
King Abdullah has directed security forces to respond with an iron fist to the assault. He emphasized the need to protect the country's Christian minority, a group that rarely faces such violence in Jordan. The nation is generally considered stable, though officials have disrupted various Islamist militant plots in recent years.
Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said authorities are currently examining the factors that drove young people toward extremism. He confirmed that anyone found to have participated in the attack will be held accountable for their actions.
