Jordanians press for release of man who killed schoolgirls

In 1997 a Jordanian soldier--in peacetime--opened fire with an automatic weapon on a group of Israeli schoolgirls visiting Jordan, killing 7 and wounding five.

The soldier was sentenced to prison in Jordan.

Now Jordan's newly appointed "justice minister" has joined a sit-in demonstration calling for the king to issue a special pardon to secure the killer's release.

Okay, so some people think the guy has served enough time to make things square for murdering seven schoolgirls. Can't agree but everyone's entitled to an opinion.

The problem I have with this is what the "justice minister" said about the killer: "I support the demonstrators' demand to free Ahmad Dakamseh. He's a hero. He does not deserve prison."

Now, I can understand a desire to free a prisoner who's served 14 years or so. But to call the guy "a hero"??

The head of a committee formed to press for the man's release delivered a letter to the justice minister that said "We cannot imagine that a great fighter like Dakamseh is in jail instead of reaping the rewards of his achievement."

I understand family and friends pressing for the guy's release, but what kind of sick, twisted, psycho culture calls a man who gunned down seven schoolgirls a "great fighter"?

This cult of death is beyond sick. These people are beyond sick.

A cult that honors men who gun down unarmed schoolgirls. Unbelievable.

Oh, I can understand that many readers are skeptical of this article. Probably taken from an Israeli newspaper, eh? So surely it can't be true.

But clicking the link shows it came from an arab source.