Jordan sentences three to death over Islamic State links

A Jordanian court on Wednesday sentenced three people to death by hanging on charges of belonging to the Islamic State group and staging two bombing attacks, an AFP correspondent said.

A total of 11 people were handed sentences ranging from five years in prison to death, in the same case relating to attacks in 2018 that killed six members of the Jordanian security forces.

The court condemned three to death, including one in absentia, over accusations of "involvement in terrorist acts using weapons and explosives that led to the death of one person".

The remaining convicts were handed prison sentences ranging between five and 20 years.

Three others, including two women, were acquitted and released.

According to the indictment, the 11 convicts had "shared news about the Islamic State group... and all agreed that this terrorist organisation works to apply God's law".

They were also found to have formed "a criminal gang with the aim of undermining the security and stability of the kingdom... and undertaking armed terrorist operations" in Jordan.

They had planned to target buses carrying security forces, as well as an intelligence building and police patrols, the indictment said.

In August 2018, two policemen were killed and six others injured in a blast after a car bomb was planted on a police car tasked with protecting a cultural festival about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) west of the capital.

The following day, four policemen were killed after clashes and another explosion during a raid on the building that the attackers had used as a hideout.

Three of the attackers also died during the clashes, that took place about 30 kilometres northwest of Amman.