Jordanian Policeman Kills 5, Including 2 Americans

A Jordanian police officer opened fire Monday at a regional police training center in the Jordanian capital, killing two Americans, two Jordanians and a South African before being shot dead, the Jordanian government spokesman said.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media, said at one point that the death toll had apparently risen to eight, but Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani disputed that figure.

The attack also wounded seven people, including two Americans, three Jordanians and a Lebanese, Momani said.

He said authorities are investigating the attacker’s motive.

Jordan, a close U.S. ally that has a peace treaty with Israel, has long been seen as an island of relative stability in a turbulent region. Over the past year, the pro-Western kingdom has taken on a high-profile role in the fight against terrorism, including the Islamic State group, which controls large areas of neighboring Iraq and Syria.

There has been concern that terrorists could carry out attacks on Jordanian soil.

In Washington, President Obama said the attacker had been dressed in a military uniform.

“We take this very seriously and will be working closely with the Jordanians to determine exactly what happened,” Obama said during an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

This article appeared in print on page 1 of the November 10th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.