Back in 1997 a Jordanian soldier, Ahmed Daqamseh, opened fire on a group of Israeli schoolchildren on a visit to Peace Island, on the Israel-Jordan border. He killed seven 11-year-old girls, and badly wounded a number of others. He's now serving a life sentence in Jordan:
The soldier, CPL Ahmed Daqamseh 26, was charged with the "Premeditated" murder of the Israelis, who were shot to death during an outing on the Naharayim island on the Jordan River.
Daqamseh faced the death penalty. But the court handed down a life prison sentence because he was mentally unstable, said Brig. Maamoun Khassawneh, who presided over the five-man tribunal.
"The court found that the act was instant and there was no premeditation," he said. He added that the tribunal believed Daqamseh suffered from an antisocial personality disorder....
Daqamseh, who pleaded innocent, says he fired at the Israelis because they mocked and disturbed him as he prayed.
During the seven week-trial, lawyers from his 92-member defense team [!] told the tribunal that Daqamseh suffered from a personality disorder and that he killed the Israelis in a fit of rage.
Doctors told the tribunal that the disorder could cause mental instability, and defense psychiatrists had said such a condition could make a sufferer unaware of his acts.
That antisocial personality disorder may be contagious. On Al-Jadid/New TV last month, as MEMRI report, calls were made by Jordanian Islamists and "human rights activists" for Daqamseh's release - on the grounds that, far from being a "sufferer unaware of his acts", he is in fact a national hero:
Reporter: The case of Jordanian soldier Ahmad Al-Daqamsa has resurfaced. Al-Daqamsa is on hunger strike for several reasons. It should be noted that he is serving a life sentence in Jordan for killing seven Israeli women and wounding others, because they mocked his prayer, when they were visiting the liberated Baqura area.
Ali Saleh Al-'Armouti, a lawyer: The truth is that we consider Ahmad Al-Daqamsa to be a hero, and we are proud of him as a soldier of his country. What he did was the very least a soldier can do to defend his religion and country. The Zionist girls who were killed by Ahmad Al-Daqamsa made a mockery of the religion of Islam, of the Prophet Muhammad, and of Ahmad Al-Daqamsa himself, while he was praying. In addition, they acted in an immoral manner. All this generated strong provocation, which is legally called extreme emotional distress. When someone under extreme emotional distress kills a person, this serves as grounds for pardon or a mitigated sentence. We are talking about a state occupying... or rather, an entity occupying Jordanian lands, Egyptian lands, and Syrian lands, and Palestine in its entirety. On this occupied land, the [girls] did inappropriate things. The most basic thing he could have done, in defense of his country, his honor as a soldier, and his religion, was to open fire as a natural response.
Reporter: Al-Daqamsa says that Israel understands nothing but the language of resistance, which proved to be effective in the 2006 war in South Lebanon, and in the recent Gaza war. He views the peace treaties with Israel as treaties of surrender, not of peace, because Israel does not abide by them, and takes advantage of them to increase its influence and expand its settlements.
Rahil Gharaybeh, deputy secretary-general of the Islamic Action Front: Ahmad Al-Daqamsa feels that injustice has been done. Among the most bitter emotions a man may feel is to be unjustly imprisoned in his own country for something that he views as an act of heroism, not a crime. He has gone on hunger strike several times.
Reporter: The moment that the Jordanian soldier Ahmad Al-Daqamsa made his decision to open fire on the group of Zionists was a critical and controversial moment, experienced by every Arab and Muslim.
Muhammad Al-Daqqad, a human rights activist: We, as human rights activists and organizations, believe that it is the duty of the state to release Ahmad Al-Daqamsa. On behalf of all activists, all patriots, and all Jordanians, we demand the release of Ahmad Al-Daqamsa, because he has completed approximately 12 years of his sentence.
What Israel does constitutes stubbornness, racism, and indifference for human rights, even when it comes to drinking water. In the [water] accords signed with Israel, Jordan did not achieve what the Jordanian people had hoped for at the time.
Reporter: Ahmad Al-Daqamsa has spent 12 years in his own country's prisons. He was sentenced to life for a moment of patriotic rage, instead of being honored for it, while the arch-killers are still at large shedding the blood of the innocent.
"He killed seven 11-year-old girls"
Tell her that she was killed
because she acted in an immoral manner
because she was a Zionist...
tell her that he killed her
in defense of his country,
his honor as a soldier,
and his religion,
Tell her that to kill her
was a natural response.
Posted by: Noga | May 21, 2009 at 06:07 PM
What a cockeyed world we live in. The unconscionable swine killed seven potential Jewish mothers and that is why he is a hero to these sick bastards.
Posted by: John Williams | May 22, 2009 at 09:35 AM
How many Jordanian Lawyers does it take to get a guilty verdict for their client...;)
The arab mindset, 11yr. old children are "women". Says it all.
Posted by: DaninVan | May 22, 2009 at 04:02 PM
What a shameful crime. Not all Jordanians accept this act and you can count me as one. No matter how brutal the Israeli occupation is there is no excuse in killing kids like this.
Posted by: Zak | January 03, 2010 at 05:40 PM
Ahmed Daqamseh fusiló a 11 civiles, muchachas inocentes.
¿En qué religión se acepta eso?
¿en qué parte del mundo, "ese" es un acto civilizado?
Posted by: Juanca | February 16, 2011 at 12:12 AM
NO .. AM JORDANIAN.. AND I REFUSE THAT A PERSON LIKE THAT ROAM THE STREET! AM sorry .. i cant belive people are willing to tolerate and celebrate any crime!!! like what the hell is wrong with you people!!! he kiillleed school girls, innocent unarmed school girls!!
am jordanian.. and i refuse to have someone speak on behalf of all jordanians saying we want him out! we DONT .. LIES.. atleast not all of us do ..
what i had to say about the matter myself. http://www.jordanoholic.com/blog/reform/no-murderers-roaming-streets
Posted by: Lara | July 19, 2011 at 08:52 AM