Jordanian government has reportedly decided that extraditing the murderer of 15-year-old US citizen Malki Roth after nearly 15 years of refusing to do so will help the country secure American aid under the Trump Administration.
The American and Jordanian governments are in talks to extradite the terrorist Ahlam Tamimi,Middle East Eye reported.
According to American sources, Jordan believes that agreeing to extradite Tamimi to the US will facilitate new economic agreements with the US following the dismantling of USAID by the current administration in an effort to clamp down on government waste and corruption.
“Jordan is trying to show the Trump administration it is still relevant to its worldview,” a diplomatic source said. “The old adage that aid is needed to stabilise Jordan for the sake of the region does not fly anymore.”
Ahlam Tamimi was the first woman to join the Hamas terrorist organization and the person who drove the suicide bomber who carried out the attack at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in August of 2001.
16 people were killed in that attack, including five members of the Schijveschuurder family from the community of Neria in Binyamin. Six children were among the dead. Over 120 people were injured.
Tamimi previously served time in an Israeli prison after being convicted and sentenced to multiple life sentences. However, in 2011 she was let go as part of the deal to free Gilad Shalit, and has resided in Jordan ever since.
Tamimi is still wanted in the United States to stand trial for the death of 15-year-old American citizen Malki Roth, one of the victims of the Sbarro terror attack. Jordan has refused to extradite her for many years, allowing her to become a celebrity in the country as she remains unrepentant for her part in the mass murder of 16 people and smiled when she was told how many children she had murdered.
Malki’s parents have for years petitioned the US government to demand that Jordan extradite Tamimi for her role in their daughter’s murder.
In 2021, Interpol quietly dropped its international arrest warrant against Tamimi, sparking outrage within the Jewish world. The US government has also not strongly pursued the case against Tamimi despite her being on the the FBI’s most-wanted list.
Malki’s father, Arnold Roth, wrote on his blog “This ongoing war” after only learning of the decision by Interpol through Arabic-language media, stated that Interpol “has succumbed to pressure from the fugitive’s family, lawyers and clan in Jordan and has cancelled the Red Notice which operated until now to encourage member governments to arrest her if she enters their jurisdiction.”
“My wife and I will not give up in our efforts to see this loathsome person – the embodiment of murderous bigotry – eventually brought to justice to answer for her crimes,” he added.
In February of this year, Arabic media reported that Jordan was expected to extradite Tamimi to the US soon. However, the extradition did not occur.
