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Jordanian writer who shared anti-Islamic State caricature shot to death

By Yvette Hammett Hull
Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar, who had posted an anti-Islamic State caracature on his facebook page, was gunned down and killed Sunday in front of the courthouse where he was having a hearing on his charges. Photo from Euro News/YouTube
Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar, who had posted an anti-Islamic State caracature on his facebook page, was gunned down and killed Sunday in front of the courthouse where he was having a hearing on his charges. Photo from Euro News/YouTube

AMMAN, Jordan, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- A Jordanian writer who shared an anti-Islamic State caricature that outraged some Muslim groups, was shot to death outside an Amman courthouse Sunday.

Nahed Hattar, a member of Jordan's Christian minority, was shot three times outside the courtroom where charges of blasphemy against him were being heard, CNN reported.

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Hattar was rushed to a nearby hospital by Public Security Department personnel, where he died from his injuries.

The alleged attacker is under arrest and an investigation is under way.

Hatter was released on bail about two weeks ago after spending several days in detention, Jordan Times reported.

Hattar, a political commentator and columnist, was taken in to custody in August after sharing the cartoon considered "abusive to the divine entity." Amman Gov. Khaled Abu Zeid had ordered Hattar's arrest for the "blasphemous" Facebook post he made. He was charged with insulting religion and inciting "sectarian strife and racism."

Hattar said the cartoon was intended to ridicule the IS group, also called ISIS, ISIL and Daesh. It depicted a bearded man in bed with two women in heaven. The man was instructing God to serve him food and wine.

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He said the cartoon was meant to criticize IS's twisted view of paradise, according to Amnesty International Regional Director Randa Habib. "No one listened," she tweeted, following Hattar's assassination.

Habib called Hattar's killing "a low criminal act."

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