Singapore leaders send condolences to Jordan after deadly church attack

SINGAPORE – President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong sent their condolences to Jordan’s leaders on Oct 26, following an attack on a church in southern Jordan that killed nine people.

In a letter to Jordan’s King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, President Tharman said he was shocked by the horrific attack on the St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Karak on Oct 23.

He offered his condolences and sympathies to the king and the families of the victims on behalf of the people of Singapore.

“Singapore strongly condemns this senseless act of violence. The deliberate targeting of civilians at a place of worship is reprehensible. We stand in solidarity with Jordan and its people in the fight against terror in any form and from any source,” he added.

He said that he is confident that the people of Jordan will remain united in the face of this tragedy.

Gunmen had fired for several minutes in broad daylight during a funeral service at the church on Oct 23, wounding dozens others in the rare attack on Jordan’s Christian minority.

Three people have been arrested by Jordanian security forces over the attack, state TV reported on Oct 26.

PM Wong, in a letter to his counterpart Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, also condemned the terrorist attack.

He said: “Singapore strongly condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians at a place of worship. Such acts of violence are unconscionable and cannot be justified under any circumstances.”

He sent his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and also wished the injured a swift recovery.

He added that Singapore stands firmly with Jordan in opposing terrorism and religious extremism, and in upholding the values of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.