Jordanian soldier gets life term for killing 3 Americans

Amman July 17 (IANS) A Jordanian soldier was on Monday sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for killing three US military trainers last year.

A Jordanian military court also decided to expel the soldier -- whose identity was not announced -- from the armed forces and fine him for the value of the 70 bullets he fired at the Americans vehicle Efe news reported.

The court condemned the soldier on charges of murder intent to offend the reputation of the armed forces and failure to comply with military orders and instruction. He pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder.

The soldier opened fire on a vehicle transporting the three Americans at the entrance to King Faisal Airbase 200 kilometers (124.2 miles) south of Amman last October after they ignored the order to stop for a statutory inspection.

The US Embassy in Amman expressed its satisfaction with the verdict in a statement issued shortly after the judgment was heard.

The statement said that despite the tragedy Jordan continues to be a strategic partner and reiterated that the US soldiers followed the usual procedures upon their arrival at the airbase.

Jordan is a member of the US-led international coalition that has been bombing positions of the Islamic State terror organisation in Syria and Iraq since 2014.

--IANS
soni/bg