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| Canadian tourist killed in Jordan attack named as Linda Vatcher | Canadian tourist killed in Jordan attack named as Linda Vatcher |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Canadian tourist killed by gunmen at a popular Jordanian tourist attraction has been named, as the country’s security services continued to investigate the motive for an attack that left 10 people dead and several dozen injured. | |
| Canadian consular officials said Linda Vatcher, 62, a retired schoolteacher from Newfoundland, was visiting her son Chris, who works in the region, when they were caught up in Sunday’s attack in and around the crusader-era castle in Karak, south of the capital, Amman. | |
| In all, seven members of the security forces, two local civilians and Vatcher were killed in the attack, security officials said. Fifteen members of the security forces, 17 local civilians and two foreign nationals, including Vatcher’s son, were injured in one of the bloodiest incidents in Jordan in recent memory. | In all, seven members of the security forces, two local civilians and Vatcher were killed in the attack, security officials said. Fifteen members of the security forces, 17 local civilians and two foreign nationals, including Vatcher’s son, were injured in one of the bloodiest incidents in Jordan in recent memory. |
| Four gunmen were shot dead by police during the course of a siege lasting several hours. | Four gunmen were shot dead by police during the course of a siege lasting several hours. |
| While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, whose main target appeared to be the Jordanian police, speculation turned quickly to potential links to Islamic State. | While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, whose main target appeared to be the Jordanian police, speculation turned quickly to potential links to Islamic State. |
| The assailants had suicide vests and other weapons, and were planning other attacks, the interior minister, Salamah Hamad, said, but did not give details of their identity or nationality, saying an investigation was still ongoing. | The assailants had suicide vests and other weapons, and were planning other attacks, the interior minister, Salamah Hamad, said, but did not give details of their identity or nationality, saying an investigation was still ongoing. |
| The shootings were the latest in a series of attacks that have challenged this pro-western kingdom’s claim to be an oasis of calm in a region threatened by Islamic extremists. | The shootings were the latest in a series of attacks that have challenged this pro-western kingdom’s claim to be an oasis of calm in a region threatened by Islamic extremists. |
| A witness said attackers immediately targeted tourists when they reached the castle. “Four gunmen got out of their car” at the castle, said Wasfi al-Habashneh, a local resident. “They opened fire at the Canadian tourists. The woman was killed, the other Canadian tourist escaped and hid behind a car and one of the children was injured.” | A witness said attackers immediately targeted tourists when they reached the castle. “Four gunmen got out of their car” at the castle, said Wasfi al-Habashneh, a local resident. “They opened fire at the Canadian tourists. The woman was killed, the other Canadian tourist escaped and hid behind a car and one of the children was injured.” |
| Al-Habashneh said security forces engaged with the gunmen and cornered the gunmen at the castle gate. | Al-Habashneh said security forces engaged with the gunmen and cornered the gunmen at the castle gate. |
| The killing of the Canadian visitor could further damage Jordan’s embattled tourism sector, which has declined sharply since Isis seized large parts of neighbouring Syria and Iraq two years ago. | The killing of the Canadian visitor could further damage Jordan’s embattled tourism sector, which has declined sharply since Isis seized large parts of neighbouring Syria and Iraq two years ago. |
| John Babcock, a Canadian foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Canadian officials in Amman are actively working with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to Canadians at this difficult time.” | John Babcock, a Canadian foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Canadian officials in Amman are actively working with local authorities to gather additional information and are providing consular assistance to Canadians at this difficult time.” |
| The Canadian embassy in Amman issued an alert warning urging Canadians to avoid travel to Karak. | The Canadian embassy in Amman issued an alert warning urging Canadians to avoid travel to Karak. |
| The chain of events began when a police patrol received reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh in the Karak district, said a statement by Jordan’s public security directorate. Officers responding to the call came under fire from inside the house, two policemen were wounded and the assailants fled in a car, it said. | The chain of events began when a police patrol received reports of a house fire in the town of Qatraneh in the Karak district, said a statement by Jordan’s public security directorate. Officers responding to the call came under fire from inside the house, two policemen were wounded and the assailants fled in a car, it said. |
| In another attack, gunmen fired on a security patrol in Karak, causing no injuries, the statement said. Armed men then also opened fire on a police station at the crusader castle, wounding members of security forces. | In another attack, gunmen fired on a security patrol in Karak, causing no injuries, the statement said. Armed men then also opened fire on a police station at the crusader castle, wounding members of security forces. |
| The motivation behind the attack – as well as some of the details – remained murky with officials describing the attackers as “terrorists” or as “outlaws” and commentators speculating that the shootings may have been prompted by friction between police in the town of Qatanreh – where the incidents began and a known smuggling centre – and tribal gunmen. | The motivation behind the attack – as well as some of the details – remained murky with officials describing the attackers as “terrorists” or as “outlaws” and commentators speculating that the shootings may have been prompted by friction between police in the town of Qatanreh – where the incidents began and a known smuggling centre – and tribal gunmen. |
| The other line of inquiry is that the gunmen belonged to a jihadi group. Tourists have been attacked before in Jordan, a decade ago, when a Briton was killed and five other people injured in an attack on the Roman amphitheatre in Amman by a gunman. | The other line of inquiry is that the gunmen belonged to a jihadi group. Tourists have been attacked before in Jordan, a decade ago, when a Briton was killed and five other people injured in an attack on the Roman amphitheatre in Amman by a gunman. |
| “The four dead militants are Jordanian members of a terrorist cell suspected of belonging to IS,” a security source told AFP. | “The four dead militants are Jordanian members of a terrorist cell suspected of belonging to IS,” a security source told AFP. |
| An editorial in the English language Jordan Times, usually a reliable mouthpiece for the royal family, also described it in terms of “terrorism”. | An editorial in the English language Jordan Times, usually a reliable mouthpiece for the royal family, also described it in terms of “terrorism”. |
| “Jordan has been effectively fighting terrorism for years, individually as well as alongside allies in an international coalition,” the editorial continued, adding: “These achievements do not please terrorist groups who will, no doubt, continue to target the country and its allies, as no place around the world proved to be immune from the danger of terrorism.” | “Jordan has been effectively fighting terrorism for years, individually as well as alongside allies in an international coalition,” the editorial continued, adding: “These achievements do not please terrorist groups who will, no doubt, continue to target the country and its allies, as no place around the world proved to be immune from the danger of terrorism.” |
| Fears that the attack was jihadi-inspired have also been raised by an uptick in recent incidents in Jordan – which has a homegrown extremism problem. Over the past year, gunmen have carried out several attacks on members of the Jordanian security forces and foreign trainers. | Fears that the attack was jihadi-inspired have also been raised by an uptick in recent incidents in Jordan – which has a homegrown extremism problem. Over the past year, gunmen have carried out several attacks on members of the Jordanian security forces and foreign trainers. |
| In the most recent incident, three US military members were killed in a shooting outside an air base in southern Jordan in November. The three were in Jordan on a training mission and came under fire while driving into the base. | In the most recent incident, three US military members were killed in a shooting outside an air base in southern Jordan in November. The three were in Jordan on a training mission and came under fire while driving into the base. |