Death Toll Rises to 9 in Jordan Church Attack as Government Blames 'Extremist Takfiri Ideology'
Gunmen struck a Greek Orthodox funeral in Karak on Friday. Officials now say nine died and more than two dozen were hurt. No arrests have been announced, and it is unclear which group, if any, was behind it.
The attack on a Christian funeral in Jordan has grown deadlier, Fox News reports, updating its earlier coverage.
The toll. Gunmen stormed a Greek Orthodox church in Karak during a funeral on Friday. Authorities now say nine people were killed and more than two dozen injured. Jordan's health minister, Ibrahim al-Budour, said Saturday that one critically injured patient was still hospitalized in unstable condition. Earlier reports had put the dead at seven.
Who and why. Government spokesman Mohammad Momani said the attackers held an "extremist takfiri ideology," which labels people who reject a strict reading of Islam as apostates or nonbelievers. Fox notes groups such as ISIS have used takfiri beliefs to justify killing Muslims, Christians and Jews. Fox says it remains unclear whether the gunmen belonged to any terror group, and no arrests have been announced. Momani stressed that Christians are "part of Jordan's national fabric."
The attack itself. Footage from Jordanian state television, as reported by the AP, showed two gunmen with what looked like pistols approaching the church and opening fire. A third man with what appeared to be a semiautomatic rifle joined them and all three rushed the building. A witness, Dorgham Halasa, told the AP the gunfire began about 15 minutes into the service. Authorities had not confirmed how many attackers there were, and Halasa said others told him they saw at least four.
The king's response. King Abdullah II said Jordan will "confront the terrorist act that targeted Karak with the harshest penalties." He added, "Whoever imagines that the bullets of treachery can divide the ranks of Jordanians will fail in his endeavor before our steadfastness and unity." The state news agency says Jordan declared three days of national mourning.
Note for readers: details come from Jordanian officials, the AP and Fox. The number of attackers and their motive are not confirmed, and this is a developing story.