Jordan orders terrorist al-Tamimi expelled, responsible for 16 Israelis killed
Originally sentenced to 16 life sentences in Israel, Tamimi was released after only 12 years as part of the Gilad Shalit agreement in 2011
Jordan ordered the expulsion of Ahlam al-Tamimi on Sunday, who helped plan the deadly terror attack on the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in 2001, claiming the lives of 16 Israelis and leaving more than 130 injured.
Initially sentenced to 16 life sentences in Israel, Tamimi was released after only 12 years as part of the exchange deal for the release of soldier Gilad Shalit. Her role in the attack was crucial, surveying the site and leading the terrorist carrying an explosive belt to the restaurant.
A particularly shocking video of her incarceration shows her smiling at the announcement of the number of children killed in the attack. In a subsequent interview given to Hamas television, she maintained a remorseless stance: "It was a calculated act, done in faith in Allah. I managed to overcome the hurdle of imprisonment and I was released. Why should I regret it?"
In 2017, US authorities stepped up their hunt for Tamimi. The Department of Justice issued a criminal complaint and an arrest warrant against her, while the FBI placed her on its most wanted list.
The decision to expel her by Jordan, the country that welcomed her after her release, marks a new turn in the Tamimi case, whose actions and lack of remorse continue to arouse international outrage, both in Israel and abroad.