Baqaa GID office attacker sentenced to death

AMMAN — The State Security Court (SSC) on Thursday issued a death sentence against the gunman who killed five intelligence personnel in June in the terrorist attack on the Baqaa office of the General Intelligence Department (GID).

The Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted Attorney General of SSC Brig. Gen. Ziad Adwan as saying the court found Mahmoud Masharfeh guilty of committing terrorist acts that led to the death of human beings, and committing terrorist acts using automatic weapons.

The SSC issued a death sentence for each of the charges against Masharfeh.

The court also sentenced Sami Abu Omar to a one-year term, after amending the charge against him from the felony of selling weapons for illegal uses to the misdemeanour of selling weapons, Petra added.

The five victims in the attack include three non-commissioned officers who were guarding the office.

His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army, on Sunday bestowed the Medal of Bravery and Rescue of the Second Class on Capt. Faisal Adwan and Serg. Ahmad Adwan, both Rangers, who assisted in the capture of Masharfeh in their native village where the convict had escaped after committing the crime.

At the time of the attack, Serg. Adwan had suspicions about the suspect when he found him in a mosque in the village and when he attempted to arrest him, the man shot and critically injured him with the same weapon used in the attack. 

He was admitted to the army-run King Hussein Medical Centre and underwent several surgeries before he recovered. 

Capt. Adwan was also in the scene and helped capture the suspect.