No place for terrorism

When a small group of outlaws opened fire indiscriminately at policemen and civilians in the southern city of Karak last week, no doubt they wanted to disrupt national security and cause alarm not only among the people of the Karak region but across the entire Kingdom.

They must have aimed to terrorise the country, judging by the kind of weapons they carried or left behind in their concealed cell.

These terrorists made the historic castle of Karak their base of operation against policemen and civilians.

They carried out their attacks until silenced and defeated by a combined force of police, gendarmerie and army rapid deployment forces.

They had all sorts of weapons, including explosives. 

Ten people died in these attacks — six of them policemen who rushed to defend the people from the attackers. One Canadian tourist was among the dead.

The terrorist attack had to be contained and dealt with as swiftly as possible, and it was, due to the rapid and well-coordinated intervention of our security personnel.

While information about the identity of the terrorists is scant, most probably they were takfirists, a group of Muslim extremists that still exist in small pockets in the southern region of the country; their number is small, however, and never constituted a real danger to national security.

There is, therefore, no reason for alarm or panic among the people, and there is also no excuse for exaggerating the danger they posed or could have posed.

Overreacting would be tantamount to playing into their hands.

The gang sought to make a commotion to shake public confidence in the safety of their country. They must not, therefore, be allowed to get away with their agenda.

The terrorists may have succeeded in making news, but failed to make a dent in national unity or security, and that is what counts.

Jordan remains a safe and stable oasis in a troubled region and it intends to remain so come what may.

There is very little or no support for extremists in the country and those very few who support them are disgruntled and disoriented people who have alienated themselves from the mainstream national culture of the country.

It is comforting to know that the outlaws in question were dealt with fast and effectively, albeit at a high cost in human life.

The whole country’s population, from the north to the south and from the east to the west stands solidly behind the government, in defeating and uprooting the enemies.

Getting rid of all traces of radicalism or terrorism must be pursued with full determination until they are silenced for all times.