Jordan | Three men sentenced to death over terror shooting which killed nine

The court convicted the men of offenses including carrying out terrorist acts resulting in death, possessing weapons and ammunition for terrorist purposes, and promoting a terrorist group's ideology.

The three men are two brothers and a relative by marriage (brother-in-law) from the same local family.

Authorities named them as Hazaa/Hazza Zidan Thneibat (described as the planner/mastermind, around 33), his brother Mashaal/Mishal Zidan Thneibat (around 32), and Ahmad Sami Thneibat/Hussein (around 31). They were local Jordanians. One had previously been convicted in connection with a foiled terror plot and imprisoned in 2021 before release. Officials described them as adherents of extremist “takfiri” ideology.

A video circulated in which they expressed allegiance to the Islamic State; it was not officially verified, and ISIS did not issue a formal claim of responsibility for the attack through its standard channels, though some reporting noted inspirational or praising content.

Jordan’s State Security Court sentenced three men to death on Sunday for carrying out an attack on a church in the southern governorate of Karak last month that killed nine people, the state news agency Petra reported.

The court—which handles security/terrorism cases—convicted them on multiple counts under Jordan’s Anti-Terrorism Law, including nine counts of jointly carrying out terrorist acts resulting in death, weapons/ammunition offenses for terrorist purposes, conspiracy, and promoting a terrorist group’s ideology.

One was also convicted of providing funds to finance terrorist acts. Two additional defendants linked to the case—reportedly for supplying the firearms—received six-year prison terms. The ruling is subject to appeal and automatic review by the Court of Cassation, as required by law.

King Abdullah II had publicly called for the harshest penalties (“iron fist”) response to the attack. The death sentences are by hanging.

Gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud on October 23, in a rare attack on Jordan’s Christian minority.

Authorities said 34 people were also wounded.

Security forces arrested the three men on October 26 after a shootout at an abandoned house in Karak. All three were wounded, while no security personnel were injured, according to the Public Security Directorate.

Jordan launches strikes in Syria against groups linked to church attacks

Jordan, a US partner in the fight against extremism, later that day launched airstrikes on southern Syria against groups it linked to the church attack.

Syrian authorities said seven people, including three children and a woman, were killed.

Jordan later acknowledged that its airstrikes had killed civilians in Syria, and the two countries agreed to form a joint security committee to review the incident and its consequences.

Source: Reuters, Staff; DPN, November 15, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde

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