Jerash knife attack victims stable — Health minister

AMMAN — Two of the eight, among them four tourists and four Jordanians, injured in a Jerash knife attack have been transferred to the King Hussein Medical Centre and are in stable condition, Health Minister Saad Jaber said on Wednesday. 

Under the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah, Royal Court Chief Youssef Issawi visited the injured at the Jerash Government Hospital and the King Hussein Medical Centre, wishing them a swift recovery. 

The suspected attacker of the four Jordanians, three Mexicans and a Swiss national was arrested, according to sources at the Public Security Department, adding that an investigation is under way.

The stabbings triggered strong condemnation from Jordanian communities across the Kingdom. (See story on page 3)

“The Jordanian tour guide is now in stable condition after being stabbed in the stomach and undergoing surgery. The Mexican tour guide, who was stabbed in the back is also in stable condition; he has not undergone surgery and is currently being monitored,” Jaber said in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

Muhannad Bani Hani, a member of the Public Security Department (PSD), had his spleen removed after falling victim to the attack, the minister said, adding that the Mexican tourist suffered bleeding after being stabbed in her stomach. 

Jaber noted that the four remaining cases are also in stable condition, will be monitored at the Jerash Government Hospital for 24 hours and are likely to be discharged on Thursday. 

The minister commended the “integrated mechanism” comprising the PSD’s swift response in transferring the victims to hospitals, security, health cadres and the availability of blood units at the Jerash hospital, which helped save the injured after the Wednesday afternoon incident. 

Jerash Government Hospital Director Sadeq Otoum said that the facility received the victims at around 11am. 

“Jerash Government Hospital personnel dealt immediately with the injuries whereby the health minister participated in the surgery of two of the victims, who have now been transferred to the King Hussein Medical Centre,” Otoum said.  

For his part, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held phone calls with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis and Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Julian Fantoura, assuring that the citizens of their countries who have been injured are receiving the necessary medical care, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

During the calls, Safadi said that the suspect is being investigated prior to legal proceedings and his trial, noting that Switzerland and Mexico will be notified of the investigation’s outcome in accordance with international diplomatic and legal conventions. 

Mexican Ambassador to Jordan Roberto Rodriguez, in a statement to Petra following his visit to Jerash Governorate, condemned the incident and dubbed it a “lone-wolf” act. 

He expressed appreciation for the cooperation of Jordanian authorities, including the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Health, which provided medical care to the injured. 

The Jerash incident “will neither damage nor negatively impact” Jordanian tourism, Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association (JITOA) Chairman Awni Kawar said later in the day, adding that no scheduled tourism programme bookings to Jordan have been cancelled. 

In an interview with Petra, Kawar said this was a “lone incident” in which Jordanians were also injured, adding that tourists were not the only target.