Jordan’s State Security Court has begun the trial of three men accused in the deadly attack on a church in Karak governorate, moving the case from investigation into court proceedings.
The first hearing took place on Wednesday, 4 November, following the public prosecutor’s decision to refer the case to the court. Nine people were killed when gunmen attacked a funeral at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hmoud on 23 October. Others were injured.
Amer Halaseh, a lawyer representing relatives of those killed, attended the hearing. He said the defendants were informed of the charges and lawyers were appointed for them. The pleas, if any, remain unclear. The charges are allegations; the opening of a trial is not a finding of guilt.
Charges brought after investigation
State Security Court prosecutor Ahmad Shahltough said on Tuesday that investigators had completed their inquiries. He said they had heard prosecution witnesses, collected evidence from the scene, documented weapons and ammunition and questioned people suspected of carrying out or participating in the attack.
The prosecutor brought seven categories of charges under Jordan’s anti-terrorism law and penal code. They include nine counts of jointly committing terrorist acts resulting in death and two counts of jointly committing terrorist acts using weapons and ammunition.
Other allegations concern possessing weapons and possessing ammunition with the intention of using them for terrorist acts. The case also includes an allegation of conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts using weapons.
The remaining charges concern promoting the ideology of a terrorist group and committing acts likely to disrupt public order and endanger public safety and security. The accusation about promoting an ideology does not, by itself, establish membership of a particular organisation or prove a motive for the attack.
Under Jordanian law, a conviction on the charge of a terrorist act resulting in death can carry the death penalty. Responsibility for deciding the allegations rests with the court.
Arrests followed a three-day search
Jordanian authorities announced the arrests on 26 October, three days after the shooting. The Public Security Directorate said officers located the suspects in an abandoned house in Karak governorate. The directorate said the men refused to surrender and fired at security forces, who returned fire.
Officials said all three men were injured and taken into custody and that weapons and ammunition were recovered at the site. The authorities identified two of the suspects as brothers and the third as a relative by marriage. Their alleged involvement in the attack remains a matter for the court.
At a press conference after the arrests, Interior Minister Mazen Faraya said the case was not over and investigators were gathering technical evidence. Government communications minister Mohammad Momani cautioned against making sweeping generalisations about any part of Jordanian society.
Community and national response
The attack struck a church in a governorate with an established Christian community. Jordan’s government declared three days of national mourning from 23 October, with flags at half-mast on ministries and other public institutions. The government also expressed condolences to the bereaved and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The court proceedings now concern the alleged criminal responsibility of the three defendants. The prosecutor’s description of the investigation and the charges sets out the case brought against them; it does not settle the evidence or establish the outcome of the trial.
Featured image: AI-generated illustration.
