Amman (AFP) - The Public Prosecutor at the Jordanian State Security Court announced on Tuesday that seven terrorism-related charges had been brought against three Jordanians who carried out an unprecedented attack on a church in the Karak Governorate in the south of the kingdom, killing nine people.

Published on: 03/11/2026 - 17:03

The Public Prosecution announced in a statement the completion of “all investigative procedures (...) into the commission of the terrorist act” that targeted the Church of St. George in the town of Hammoud on October 23, in addition to “interrogating those accused in the case who carried out the terrorist act.”

The three detainees were charged with seven charges, most notably “committing terrorist acts that led to the death of a person, carrying out terrorist acts using weapons and ammunition, possessing weapons and ammunition with the intention of using them for terrorist purposes, conspiracy with the intention of committing terrorist acts, and promoting the ideas of a terrorist group,” according to the statement.

Under the laws, conviction for “committing terrorist acts that led to the death of a human being” may be punishable by death.

The defendants attacked a funeral in the village of Hammoud, and opened fire randomly outside and inside the church, where about 200 people had gathered to participate in the funeral ceremony, killing nine people and wounding 25 others.

The attackers disappeared from sight after fleeing the place, until the authorities announced their arrest three days later. She pointed out that they are two brothers and their cousin, and that they are Jordanian and embrace “takfiri thought.”

Christians make up about three percent of Jordan's population of approximately 11 million people.

In 2016, Karak Governorate witnessed a series of attacks, most of which were attributed to ISIS, the most violent of which was an attack that targeted a security center and police patrols, resulting in ten deaths, including seven security personnel and a tourist, in December.

Four gunmen who barricaded themselves in Karak Castle were subsequently killed during a confrontation with security personnel.

© 2026 AFP

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