“No one involved will escape.” Jordan reveals the details of the arrest of the perpetrators of the “Karak attack” and their identities

The Jordanian government vowed, during a press conference on Monday, to hold accountable all those involved in the attack that targeted a church in the southern Karak Governorate, stressing that the arrest of three accused of involvement in it does not mean the end of the investigations. Meanwhile, the Director of Jordanian Public Security, Obaidullah Al-Maaytah, revealed the details of the pursuit of the suspects over a period of three days, leading to a raid on an abandoned house, during which an armed confrontation broke out with the security force, which ended with their arrest and transfer to the hospital to receive treatment, in preparation for investigation.

The Minister of Government Communications and official spokesman for the Jordanian government, Muhammad Al-Momani, offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured. He also expressed his solidarity with their families and the people of the Hamoud area. Al-Momani previously said on his page on the “X” platform, Twitter: “A short while ago, the Jordanians mourned the ninth martyr, Dr. Muhammad al-Qousous, in a scene that embodies their loyalty to his life and his generosity in serving the people.

May God have mercy on the martyr, and grant his family and lovers patience and solace.” He added: “The Jordanians, in their cohesion, unity, and standing by the grieving families of the martyrs, have painted a scene that expresses the integrity and authenticity of this people, and their rejection of hatred and division.

This solidarity embodies our belief that the affliction of any Jordanian is the affliction of all of us, and that our national unity is solid and unaffected by terrorism.” Al-Momani considered that what happened represented “a pivotal historical milestone in the path of efforts to end extremism and Takfiri thought in Jordan,” stressing the continuation of the campaign aimed at eradicating Takfiri thought and extremism in various sectors.

The government spokesman stressed the importance of confronting misinformation and rumors during crises, warning that misleading information may sow fear, weaken confidence, and open the way for incitement, and stressing the government’s commitment to providing accurate and reliable information. He also warned against "slipping into discussions that fuel hate speech or cause division and division among Jordanians."

It is not permissible for a crime committed by those with extremist takfiri ideology to turn into an occasion for exchanging accusations or generalizing against any component of our society. We must not allow terrorism to achieve with words what it could not achieve with crime.”

Momani stressed that "citizenship is not measured by religious or social affiliation, and no Jordanian needs to prove the authenticity of his affiliation to his homeland. We will not allow extremist Takfiri ideology to redefine our relationship with each other, or to harm the national commonality that brings us together under the umbrella of the state and the rule of law."

For his part, the Jordanian Minister of the Interior, Mazen Al-Faraya, said: “We mourn our honorable martyrs, and we offer our condolences to their families and loved ones, and we offer our condolences to His Majesty King Abdullah II, Ibn Al-Hussein, and the entire Jordanian people. We stand more reassured that the hand of justice has reached the perpetrators of this heinous terrorist crime, and that the blood of our martyrs will not be in vain,” according to the Jordanian News Agency (Petra). He added: “His Majesty the King pledged, during his visit to the injured in the hospital, to deal firmly with the perpetrators of this heinous act and to hold all those involved accountable.

Today, the success of the security operation confirms that His Majesty’s directives are translated into actions on the ground, and that the Jordanian state does not compromise in protecting the lives and security of its citizens.” He continued: “We extend with all pride, appreciation and thanks to our valiant security services, and all the institutions and cadres that contributed to the success of this operation, for their tireless efforts that did not cease from the first moment the crime occurred, and for the professionalism, efficiency and high coordination they demonstrated, until they were able to arrest the terrorists.” The three, without any casualties among the security force.”

He pointed out that "arresting the perpetrators does not mean the end of the work. The state is continuing to complete investigations and reveal all the circumstances of the crime, and hold accountable everyone proven to be involved in planning, incitement, assistance or facilitation, in accordance with the provisions of the law. No one involved will escape legal accountability."

The Jordanian Minister of the Interior considered that "this crime is the product of extremist Takfiri ideology that is alien to the values ​​and morals of Jordanians, and requires continuing to confront it security-wise, intellectually, and socially. The battle with terrorism does not end with arresting the perpetrators of crimes, but rather requires confronting the roots of extremism, hate speech, and incitement."

He said: "We renew our prayers for mercy for our righteous martyrs and a speedy recovery for the injured, and we assure our people in Karak and all Jordanians that Jordan, with its Hashemite leadership, security services, national institutions, and the cohesion of its people, will remain resistant to terrorism and extremism, and that the security and safety of Jordanians will remain above all considerations." Meanwhile, the Director of Jordanian Public Security, Obaidullah Al-Maaytah, said, “Investigation procedures were launched immediately after the crime occurred according to two tracks. The first was the criminal and proactive investigation and the collection of information and evidence from the crime scene, while the second track focused on enhancing the efficiency of emergency, control and systems, implementing survey and intervention operations, and determining the movements of terrorists and the paths they took.”

He added: "Over the past three days, the raid teams continued to continuously comb the designated areas, until after midnight last night, one of the villages was divided into sectors and a number of abandoned houses were identified in it, in preparation for their inspection and combing by the specialized teams." He continued: "The three terrorists initiated heavy gunfire at the force. The house was surrounded and isolated, and the rules of engagement were applied using weapons and advanced capabilities and means."

He explained: "The operation resulted in the establishment of control over the building and the arrest of the terrorists. They were transferred to the hospital and are still undergoing treatment, and investigations will begin with them." Al-Maaytah said: “The suspicious building was entered and it was found that there were three terrorists firing intense fire at the security force, which required dealing with them according to the rules of engagement, using weapons, capabilities and advanced means possessed by the specialized teams.”

He added: "We confirm that work is continuing to complete the investigative file with all its details and legal dimensions, in preparation for referring the case to the judiciary." He pointed out that "the operation resulted in the establishment of control over the building and the arrest of the three terrorists, who were all wounded. They were transferred to the hospital and are still undergoing treatment, and they will be investigated directly."

He warned that "the three people who were arrested are from the same family; two of them are brothers and the third is their relative. One of them is Hazza Zidan Muhammad, who planned the operation, in addition to Mishal Zidan Muhammad, his brother, and Ahmed Sami Hussein, all of whom are extremists, Takfiris, and terrorists who carried out the operation."