The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly urges the Biden administration to demand that Jordan finally complies with its extradition treaty with the U.S. and turns over the Palestinian Arab terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, so that Tamimi can finally be tried in the U.S. and punished for her murderous crimes against innocent Americans. Jordan’s King Abdullah II met with President Biden yesterday and is reportedly meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken today.
Tamimi masterminded the 2001 suicide bombing at the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem, deliberately choosing the location and timing of the bombing to inflict the maximum pain and damage. Fifteen people were killed, including Americans Malki Roth, age 15, and Judith Hayman Greenbaum, who was pregnant with her first child. Approximately 130 people were wounded, including Americans David Danzig, age 21; Matthew P. Gordon, age 25; Sara Shifra Nachenberg, age 2; and Joanne (Chana) Nachenberg, who has been in a vegetative state ever since.
Tamimi not only never expressed regret, but actually expressed joy for the horrific loss and pain she caused. Learning that the number of casualties was actually greater than she had presumed brought a smile to her face.
After she was released from an Israeli prison as part of a prisoner exchange with Hamas, Tamimi was returned to Jordan, where she was treated like a hero. She hosted a television show for years on Hamas-affiliated TV that was broadcast throughout the Arabic-speaking world. She has traveled widely to many Arab countries, bragging about the role she played in the slaughter.
The U.S. government finally indicted Tamimi in 2013 and requested that Jordan extradite her, under a 1995 extradition treaty between the U.S. and Jordan, so that she could be tried for her murderous crimes under U.S. law. In 2017, the Justice Department added Tamimi to the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, offering a $5 million reward for information leading to her arrest or conviction.
Days later, Jordan’s highest court decided that the U.S-Jordan extradition treaty was invalid, purportedly because the Jordanian parliament had not approved it. The decision made no sense since the treaty was enforceable back in 1995, leading to the extradition of another terrorist who had participated in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The United States considers its extradition treaty with Jordan as valid.
Reportedly, prior to this week’s meetings, Biden administration officials made it clear to Jordan that extraditing Tamimi was of “high interest” to the U.S. But so far, Jordan has failed to cooperate.
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein and Director of ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., implored U.S. officials to demand that Jordan finally extradite Tamimi, stating, “The U.S. has certainly been a friend to Jordan, not only providing substantial monetary support but also, for example, just recently sending hundreds of thousands of COVID vaccines to the country. Yesterday, King Abdullah told President Biden that the U.S. ‘can always count’ on him and his country. If that’s true, then it’s time the King showed respect for Jordan’s treaty obligations to the U.S. and turn over Tamimi right away, so that this monster will finally pay for her horrific crimes against innocent Americans under U.S. law. If we can’t count on Jordan to extradite this terrorist, then there should be consequences for Jordan’s outrageous refusal.”