Families of Hammoud martyrs: Arresting the terrorists is a balm that eased the pain of our broken hearts

Dirgham Al-Halsa, one of the martyrs' families, told "Alrai" in front of the graves of the martyrs of the painful massacre, "Despite the pain and the ache of loss, I feel pride and honor that the Jordanian society was one united bloc, as thousands flocked from the cities, villages, deserts, and camps of the Kingdom, and they were our partners in accepting condolences and comforting us in our great affliction."

Al-Halsa praised the official stance expressed since the first day, starting with His Majesty King Abdullah II's visit to the wounded in hospitals and the successive presence of national institutions, including the Prime Minister, ministers, and community institutions, which gave them some comfort that began to take on psychological and humanitarian dimensions for them. He believes that the targeting of their village was not random, and not just because the village is Christian, but because he knows that takfiri ideology, when it declares others infidels and seeks the gardens of paradise by killing those who disagree with it, does not distinguish between a Christian and a Muslim who does not belong to their current.

He pointed out that the development of the event with the rapid arrest of the murderous criminals strengthened their resolve, just as it was strengthened by the popular and official positions that preceded it, confirming that the battle with terrorist forces is long and cannot end with the arrest of one group, due to the existence of incubators for gangs whose existence has been institutionalized since the concept of politics and religion dominated, which pushed for the creation of a culture within this current.

Al-Halsa continued: Anyone who talks about the houris and martyrdom for the sake of God, not in the spaces of aggression with an external enemy, but with a cousin or a different brother—here, matters face complex standards that require a cultural and intellectual battle that must include the church, the mosque, the school, and the university to eradicate the social incubators of this terrorist ideology, which the Jordanian security forces are aware of, based on the landmarks of the path drawn by His Majesty the King on how to deal with these takfiri gangs that try to harm the reputation of the nation and undermine the concept of His Majesty's speech at the United Nations.

In turn, Khalid Al-Burqan, who lost (4) of his close relatives, said that all the martyrs of the terrorist massacre, who are among the best sons of the nation, are his relatives and the relatives of the Jordanian people, who expressed their sadness and pain by flocking to the small village of Hamoud, which became the largest place in the world and embraced all the mourners from the sons of the nation of all origins and backgrounds.

He added that the arrest of the perpetrators, whom he described as strangers to our homeland, values, and upbringing, soothed their hearts and eased the impact of the tragedy on the families of the martyrs and Jordanians in general. He expressed his thanks to the security services for their rapid response following King Abdullah II's confirmation, during his visit to the wounded, that those responsible for the attack would be pursued, stressing the need to reveal all the details of the crime and punish the perpetrators with the harshest penalties to serve as a lesson to anyone who dares to tamper with the security of the homeland and violate the blood of the innocent, and to intensify efforts to eradicate this takfiri terrorist approach and dry up its sources.

Fares Halsa, uncle of the martyr Fadi Halsa, said that the news of the arrest of the killers of the Hamoud church martyrs, which was announced by the Ministry of Interior and the Public Security Directorate, eased the weight of the heavy sadness and formed the beginning of a new phase in which the families of the martyrs insist on unraveling the full threads of the crime so that the criminals receive their fair punishment.

Halsa expressed the appreciation of the martyrs' families and all the people of Hamoud village and Karak Governorate for the kindness of His Majesty King Abdullah II, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, Crown Prince Al Hussein, and the Hashemite family in offering condolences. He also expressed thanks for the broad popular solidarity that embodied the scale of the tragedy that affected the entire Jordanian society and strengthened its cohesion.

In a related context, community figures expressed overwhelming relief at the arrest of the criminals through professional intelligence and security efforts, which had a significant impact in alleviating the "tragedy, which is the tragedy of every Jordanian home, Muslim and Christian alike."

The head of the Karak Governorate Council, Ismat Al-Majali, said that His Majesty fulfilled his promise, as our security services were able to arrest the perpetrators of the attack, in an achievement that embodies the ability of the Jordanian state to impose the rule of law, protect the security of the homeland and citizens, and hold accountable anyone who dares to tamper with the security and stability of Jordan.

He pointed out that the terrorist crime that affected the Hamoud village church and targeted the innocent will not undermine the unity and cohesion of Jordanians, and will not succeed in harming the national and social fabric of Karak, confirming that the relationship between Muslims and Christians in Karak and in Jordan will remain a witness to a long history of brotherhood and common national positions, and that what unites Jordanians is greater than all attempts at strife, and that Jordan's strength lies in the unity of its people, their awareness, and their rallying around their Hashemite leadership and state institutions.

The head of the Shihab Municipality Committee, Engineer Bahjat Al-Rawashdeh, said that the official announcement of the arrest of the takfiri terrorists who attacked a house of worship in the town of Hamoud in a painful tragedy that caused the shedding of innocent blood and the injury of dozens, was joyful news that gladdened hearts despite the magnitude of the tragedy left by the painful massacre, which has no precedent in the history of the nation.

He indicated that the municipality will build a shrine and a memorial in the private cemetery where the martyrs' bodies were laid to rest, in honor of them and to perpetuate their good memory, confirming their standing behind the leadership of His Majesty the King, our Arab Army, and our security services in the war on terrorism and the drying up of its sources.

The head of the Union of Charitable Societies in Karak, Maan Al-Shamayleh, valued the follow-up of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein and his directive for the rapid arrest of those involved in the terrorist crime that targeted the sons of the nation in the Hamoud church, praising the efforts of the security services and their efficiency in tracking them down, which confirms the ability of state institutions to protect the homeland and safeguard its security.

He added that the treacherous bullets that targeted mourners inside the church on the day of the funeral have turned today into energy of steadfastness and unprecedented popular rallying behind the Hashemite leadership and the security services, confirming that the Jordanian national fabric is resistant to tearing and that Jordanians, Muslims and Christians, will remain one resistant family that rejects strife, hatred, and terrorism.

Citizens Mohammed Al-Majali, Ali Al-Hamaydeh, and Saddam Al-Dmour considered that the speed of arresting the perpetrators of the Hamoud church massacre cuts off the path to any attempts to destabilize security and incite strife, confirming that this criminal act does not represent the values of the people of Karak, which will remain resistant to terrorism, and that Christians and Muslims there are brothers in good times and bad, demanding the imposition of the harshest penalties against them to serve as a lesson to anyone who tries to tamper with the security and stability of the homeland and threatens the safety of its citizens.