‘A meaningful step forward’
The US is considering withholding aid from Jordan in a bid to secure the extradition of a terrorist behind a 2001 attack in Israel that killed 15, including Australian Malki Roth.
THE family of a 15-year-old Australian killed in a 2001 bombing in Israel has hailed news that the US is stepping up efforts to bring one of her killers to justice as “encouraging” and “a meaningful step forward in … ending a dark chapter”.
Malki Roth, who also had American citizenship, was one of 15 victims of the suicide attack at the Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem, which was orchestrated by Ahlam Aref Ahmad Al-Tamimi, who drove the bomber to the site.
Tamimi was sentenced to 16 life terms by Israel for her role in the attack, but was one of the prisoners freed in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011. She has since lived freely in Jordan.
The US has requested she be extradited to stand trial in the States, as Malki and one other American citizen were killed in in the blast. However, Jordan has not cooperated.
This week it was reported that the US administration was considering withholding aid to secure the extradition, a move welcomed by Malki’s family who have waged a tireless campaign for Tamimi to be brought to justice.
Malki’s father Arnold said this week, “Ahlam Tamimi, who chose Sbarro as her target and brought the human bomb there because of the children she knew would be murdered, should never have been freed … We long for the day she faces justice in a US court.”
Further coverage in this week’s AJN.
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