Jordan court sentences three men to hang over October church massacre that killed nine

A bloodstain is seen on the ground at the entrance of a Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in Jordan’s Karak governorate on October 23, 2026, after gunmen killed eight people during a funeral procession. — AFP file pic

First Published: Sunday, 15 Nov 2026 6:55 PM MYT

AMMAN, Nov 15 — A Jordanian court on Sunday 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 wounded 25 others when they stormed a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hammoud village, in Jordan’s Karak governorate on October 23.

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

In a statement Sunday, the Jordanian military said the “State Security Court issued its ruling sentencing to death the three criminals who carried out the terrorist attack” at the Greek Orthodox church.

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

The attack shocked the Muslim-majority kingdom, where Christians make up around three percent of the population. — AFP