Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - Jordan

Country Overview:  The Israel-Hamas war increased the risk of spillover violence and terrorist recruitment from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank into Jordan, increasing the possibility of a terrorist attack against tourist and government facilities.  Terrorist recruitment in online spaces persisted, often targeting those with grievances over regional conflicts.  In 2024, Jordan continued to implement measures and conduct joint exercises to improve interagency coordination among security agencies.  Jordan reinforced its border defenses and surveillance capabilities in response to terrorist and criminal threats emanating from its borders with Syria and Iraq, resulting in seizures of weapons, explosives, and illegal drugs.

The United States continued to emphasize to Jordanian authorities the importance of holding Ahlam al-Tamimi accountable for her admitted role in a 2001 bombing in Jerusalem that killed 16 people, including three Americans.  Jordan maintains that its constitution forbids the extradition of Jordanian nationals, while the United States considers the extradition treaty with Jordan to be in force under international law.  The media reported that Jordanian banks had frozen accounts associated with U.S.-sanctioned Hamas members and some of their family members.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  On September 8, a retired Jordanian Armed Forces private working as a truck driver killed three Israelis at the King Hussein/Allenby border crossing in an Israeli-controlled area in the West Bank.  On October 18, following an announcement that Israel had killed Hamas Political Bureau Chief Yahya al-Sinwar, two Jordanian nationals opened fire at Israeli border guards, injuring two.  On November 24, a Jordanian citizen fired on security personnel stationed at a checkpoint near the vacant Israeli Embassy.