Jordan Times
Friday, December 22, 2006
Military court sentences man to death for Amphitheatre attack
AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Thursday sentenced a 38-year-old Jordanian to death after convicting him of killing a British tourist and injuring six others at Amman’s Roman Amphitheatre in September.
Clad in a blue prison uniform, Nabil Ahmad Issa Jaaoura remained defiant after his sentence was read out, banging his arms against the dock’s iron bars and shouting: “I am a warrior fighting for God and I thank God for the verdict.”
Jaaoura, a blacksmith, was convicted by the military court of carrying out a terrorist attack which resulted in the death of one person. The court also convicted him of the illegal possession of a firearm.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment.
British accountant Christopher Stokes was killed instantly from a single bullet to the heart. Five other tourists from Australia, Britain, the Netherlands and New Zealand and a police officer were also injured in the shooting incident.
Jaaoura’s lawyer told reporters his client is planning to appeal in the hope of obtaining a reduced sentence, since “Jaaoura eased court procedure by confessing.”
Jaaoura, a father of five, carried out the attack to avenge the death of two of his brothers who were killed during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, according to the charge sheet.
The defendant claimed he decided to launch his attack following the Israeli aggression against Lebanon in July.
According to the prosecution, on the day of the incident, Jaaoura bid farewell to his wife and children before heading downtown with a loaded gun.
He waited for an hour until he saw a group of tourists, then walked towards them and opened fire before being overpowered by a tourist policeman.
Government officials have confirmed that Jaaoura acted alone and had no affiliation to any illegal organisation.
The shooting was the first terrorist incident in Jordan since the triple Al Qaeda suicide bombings in November 2005, which targeted luxury hotels in the capital and left 60 people dead and over 100 injured.