Two men handed death sentence in Karak terror cell case

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Sunday sentenced two men to death in connection with the Karak terror cell case that resulted in the death of 10 people in Karak Governorate in 2016.

In November, the SSC sentenced the two defendants to death, but decide immediately to reduce the sentence to life in prison because “the two men were young and deserved a second chance in life”.

However, the Court of Cassation overturned the verdict few months later, asking the SSC to sentence the two defendants to death.

“The defendants should not benefit from any reduction in penalty because their actions caused fear, terror and chaos among the Jordanian society and tourists and caused multiple deaths,” the higher court ruled.

On Sunday, the SSC adhered to the Court of Cassation’s request and handed the two defendants the death penalty.

Eight other defendants received prison terms ranging from three to 15 years in prison for their role in the terror attack that also left 34 people injured.

Defendants were standing trial on charges of plotting subversive acts that led to the death of people, manufacturing explosives, financing terrorist acts and joining armed terrorist groups.

The victims included seven security personnel, two Jordanian civilians and a Canadian national.

The charge sheet said that the defendants plotted to carry out terrorist acts around Jordan and started by attacking a police patrol in Karak Governorate, 140km south of Amman, followed by an attack on a police station and a shootout at Karak Castle.

Some of the security forces were killed as they attempted to arrest some of the group’s members in Karak, while the two citizens and the Canadian were killed during shootouts between the defendants and security forces, according to the charge sheet.

The verdict will automatically be reviewed for the second time by the Court of Cassation within the next 30 days.