The Atlantic

How 3 Americans Were Killed in Jordan

A video released by the Jordanian military shows the Special Forces soldiers were deliberately targeted last November.
Source: Muhammad Hamed / Reuters

Last November a Jordanian guard at a military base opened fire at a training center near Amman, killing three Americans, later identified as Special Forces soldiers.

The guard, Sergeant Maarik al-Tawaiha, 39, was last week to life in prison for killing StaffMatthew Lewellen, 27; Staff Sergeant Kevin McEnroe, 30; and Staff Sergeant James Moriarty, 27. He had pleaded not guilty, arguing that the vehicle the three men were in appeared to pose a threat to the base. Prosecutors charged Tawaiha with voluntary manslaughter, violating military orders, and insulting the dignity and reputation of the armed forces. He was sentenced by a military court in Amman to “hard labor for life,” which typically lasts 20 years, with the possibility of time off for good behavior.

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