Jordan sentences three men to death by hanging after deadly attack on church | Death penalty news

Three men have been convicted of carrying out an attack on a church in Karak governorate that killed nine people.

A Jordanian court has sentenced three men to death by hanging for carrying out last month’s deadly gun attack on a church in the kingdom’s south.

Gunmen killed nine people and injured 25 others when they stormed a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hammoud village, Karak governorate, on October 23.

Authorities said three men, two Jordanian brothers and their step-relative, fled after the attack and were arrested three days later.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Jordanian army said that “the State Security Court handed down its judgment sentencing to death the three criminals who carried out the terrorist attack” against the church.

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The court found them guilty of “terrorist attacks” resulting in death, as well as weapons crimes, “conspiracy to commit terrorist acts” and “promoting the ideas of a terrorist organization.”

“One of the perpetrators of the terrorist operation was also found guilty of providing funds with the intention of using them to finance the commission of terrorist acts,” the statement added.

In late October, Jordanian security forces arrested the three suspects in the attack on the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George after clashes with them.

The governorate is home to many members of Jordan’s Christian minority, which makes up around 300,000 of the country’s 11.5 million people.

King Abdullah II said those responsible for the attack would face “the most severe penalties”, while offering his condolences to the families of the victims. He ordered a review of the country’s security procedures to respond to attacks after the incident.