Killer of Jordan writer sentenced to death

A Jordanian court today sentenced to death an Islamist man accused of killing a Christian writer outside an Amman court in September.
Nahed Hattar was hit by three bullets on the steps of the court where he had been on trial for insulting Islam after he shared a cartoon on social media that mocked Islamists.
His 49-year-old killer, Riyad Ismail, a computer engineer who worked for the education ministry, was arrested at the scene and charged with premeditated murder, terrorism and possession of an illegal firearm.
Today Ismail appeared before the military court, bearded, handcuffed and wearing a brown prison uniform to hear the judge at the state security court sentence him to "death by hanging".

Judge Ziad al-Edwan said he was sentenced "for having carried out deadly terrorist act, incitement, premeditated murder and illegal possession of a firearm."
The court also sentenced the man who sold Ismail the gun and the man who introduced him to the weapon merchant to one year in jail each.