At his meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II next Monday, President Joe Biden must demand the extradition of a most wanted terrorist, Ahlam Tamimi.
Tamimi was behind the 2001 Sbarro pizzeria bombing in Jerusalem, Israel. That terrorist attack killed 15 civilians, including two Americans, and injured approximately 122 others, including four Americans. In 2017, the United States unsealed its indictment of Tamimi. The government has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to her apprehension or conviction.
Tamimi was imprisoned in Israel, serving 16 life sentences, but was released as part of a 2011 deal Israel made with the terrorist group Hamas. This deal resulted in the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Tamimi is currently in Jordan, where she is treated like a celebrity.
The Biden administration should do whatever it takes to bring Tamimi to justice, even if that means conditioning all U.S. assistance to the Hashemite Kingdom. While Jordan has been a strategic ally in combating the Islamic State, U.S. assistance should not be unconditional. It is a duty of the U.S. president to bring to justice those abroad who injure or kill Americans. Taxpayer dollars should not support countries that give safe haven to terrorists such as Tamimi.
During his nomination to be U.S. ambassador to Jordan, Henry Wooster, who was ultimately confirmed by the Senate and has held the role since October, said that the U.S. might withhold assistance to Jordan in order to force Tamimi’s extradition.
Earlier this year, without explanation, Interpol, the premier organization behind putting out worldwide notices of wanted suspects, dropped its warrant for Tamimi. But the U.S., as the beacon of freedom and justice around the world, must act.
Jackson Richman is a journalist in Washington, D.C. Follow him @jacksonrichman.
