Three men sentenced to death in Jordan for killing nine in shooting rampage at church funeral

Three men have been sentenced to death by hanging in Jordan for killing nine people in a shooting rampage at a church.A court found the two Jordanian brothers and their relative by marriage guilty of 'terrorist attacks' resulting in death, as well as weapons offences, 'conspiracy to commit terrorist acts' and 'promoting the ideas of a terrorist organisation'.Alongside the nine victims, 25 others were wounded when the trio stormed a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in southern Hammoud village, Karak governorate, on October 23.Authorities said the men had fled after the attack and were arrested three days later. They described them as followers of a hardline Islamist ideology.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 church.The defendants attended the closed hearing by video link from detention. Tight security guarded the courthouse nevertheless.The attack shocked Jordan, a Muslim-majority kingdom where Christians make up around three per cent of the population.Jordan's Council of Church leaders announced Sunday the 'cancellation of all Christmas celebrations' as the community mourns the attack.Nine people were killed and 25 wounded when three men stormed a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church and began a shooting rampage in Jordan on October 23 Jordanian security forces stand guard outside Jordan's State Security Court which sentenced three men to death for 'terror attacks' today Mourners attend a funeral service on October 25 held at St. George Church for the victims who lost their lives in an armed attack on the Hamud Church Mourners carry the coffin of Dr. Mohammad al-Qsous on October 26, who was killed in the shooting attack on a church in Hamoud village in Jordan's Karak governorateThey encouraged churches to make their Christmas trees 'a symbol of hope, unity and peace' and to 'light candles in memory of the souls of the martyrs'.In footage aired by state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka, two gunmen are seen dressed in casual clothes and brandishing pistols while getting out of a car, with a third carrying a long gun, before they open fire on the church from an entrance on the street and charge forwards.Footage taken from inside the church showed several people lying bleeding and injured on the floor as the people around them tended to their wounds. Between 150 and 200 people were in and around the church at the time, a witness said, adding that most of the victims were aged between 50 and 70. Jordan's King Abdullah said after the atrocity those who carried out the attack will be punished with 'an iron fist' and 'met with the harshest retaliation'.He added: 'All Jordanians, from north to south, are partners in land and fate, and nothing stands between them. Our deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. Every Jordanian life is precious, and we will strike with an iron fist against those who dare to threaten our nation.'Amer Halaseh, a lawyer representing the victims' families, said the ruling 'reflects the scale of the disaster and the terrorist crime that took place'.The court also sentenced two other men to six years in prison for selling weapons to the attackers, according to the lawyer. Footage taken from inside the church showed several people lying bleeding and injured on the floor A smashed window shows bullet holes on a pew inside the Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hammoud in Karak governorate a day after the shooting People and security forces gather outside a Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hammoud in Jordan's Karak region following a mass shooting on October 23Jordan retaliated for the shooting by launching strikes on 'terrorist organisations' in Syria, claiming to have killed more than 20 jihadists, but sparking a brief diplomatic crisis with its neighbour.Karak was hit by a series of attacks in 2016, most of them blamed on Islamic State. The worst targeted a security centre and police patrols, leaving ten people dead.Karak is home to a significant Christian community in the Muslim-majority kingdom, whose presence dates back more than 1,500 years. Though they are a minority group in Jordan, they are guaranteed seats in parliament and have long served as cabinet ministers and ambassadors for the country.The country is home to several biblical sites that attract Christian pilgrims from all over the world.