Jordan sentences three men to death by hanging over deadly church attack that killed nine

A Jordanian court has sentenced three men to death by hanging for carrying out a deadly gun attack on a church in the south of the kingdom last month. Nine people were killed in the attack.

On 23 October, gunmen stormed a funeral at a Greek Orthodox church in Hammoud village, in Jordan's Karak governorate. Nine people were killed and 25 others wounded.

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

In a statement on Sunday, the Jordanian military said the State Security Court had 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.

Christians make up around three percent of the population in Muslim-majority Jordan. The attack shocked the kingdom.