Jordan Detains Three Suspects in Deadly Greek Orthodox Church Attack

Jordanian security forces have arrested three individuals in connection with the deadly assault on a Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate, state television reported Monday. The raid followed a joint security operation that resulted in an armed confrontation, leaving all three suspects wounded.

Gunmen stormed the compound of St. George’s Church in the village of Hammoud during a funeral procession last Friday, opening fire and killing nine people while wounding 25 others. The attack marked an unprecedented breach of security for the Christian community in Karak, a region with a significant Christian population in the Muslim-majority kingdom.

“Following a joint security operation, specialized investigation and raid teams apprehended the three terrorists responsible for the cowardly terrorist attack,” the state broadcaster announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya confirmed the arrests in a social media post, stating that authorities are examining the circumstances that led the perpetrators toward extremism and vowing to hold accountable everyone found to have been involved. King Abdullah II, who met with victims following the attack, declared during a National Security Council meeting that the security and safety of Jordanians are a “red line,” promising that “the hand of justice will reach every terrorist.”

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan has ordered a three-day period of national mourning beginning Friday, with flags flown at half-mast across government and public institutions. On Sunday, eight of the nine victims were laid to rest beside the church in a funeral procession attended by a massive crowd, including numerous religious figures and a heavy security presence.

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