Jordan: Nahed Hattar shot dead ahead of cartoon trial
Gunman kills prominent writer Nahed Hattar outside Amman court where he was facing charges over "offensive" cartoon. By mgospoint.blogspot.com
A gunman has shot dead prominent Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar outside a court where he was facing charges for sharing a cartoon deemed offensive to Islam, state news agency Petra reported.
Hattar was struck by three bullets before the assailant was arrested on Sunday, said Petra. Witnesses said that a man had opened fire in front of the court in Amman's Abdali district.
The 56-year-old Christian was arrested on August 13 after posting a caricature on his Facebook account that depicted a bearded man in heaven smoking in bed with women, asking God to bring him wine and cashews.
Many Jordanians considered it offensive and against their religion. The authorities said Hatter, a prominent activist and a supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, violated the law by widely sharing the caricature.
He was charged with inciting sectarian strife and insulting Islam before being released on bail in early September.
Jordan is a leading member of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in neighbouring Iraq and Syria, and was the target of a June 21 suicide bombing that killed seven border guards.
The kingdom has carried out air strikes targeting ISIL, also known as ISIS fighters and hosts coalition troops on its territory.
Source: Agencies
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