The families of three U.S. soldiers killed several years ago in Jordan are calling on Congress to suspend foreign aid to the U.S. ally unless the country extradites their killer, as well as another terrorist wanted for a 2001 attack in Israel.
Marek al-Tuwayha is serving a life sentence for murdering the members of the U.S. Special Forces on Nov. 4, 2016 at King Faisal Air Base. However, the AP recently reported that he might be released in 20 years.
The families of the men—Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen of Missouri, Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe of Arizona and Staff Sgt. James Moriarty of Texas—are also taking part in an effort to push for the extradition of Ahlam Tamimi from Jordan, where she has found safe haven.
Tamimi was convicted in Israel of helping mastermind the 2001 Sbarro pizzeria bombing in Jerusalem in which 15 civilians were killed, including seven children. Two of the victims were American: Malka Chana (Malki) Roth, 15, and Shoshana Yehudit (Judy) Greenbaum, 31, who was pregnant.
At the time, Tamimi was a 20-year-old female university student. She has never exhibited remorse for the attack.
In a statement, the families said King Abdullah of Jordan “should publicly apologize for the murders of their sons and explain why his country harbors a terrorist that killed Americans in the pizzeria bombing.”
Henry Wooster, the nominee for U.S. ambassador to Jordan, recommended to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that aid should be withheld to pressure Amman to extradite Tamimi, according to the AP.
Jordan has so far refused to do so.