The Sbarro Restaurant Attack and American Victims
On August 9, 2001, a suicide bombing at the Sbarro pizzeria in downtown Jerusalem resulted in the immediate deaths of 15 civilians, among them two American citizens and four children, while injuring roughly 122 people. As documented by the Jewish Virtual Library, those killed immediately included 15-year-old Malki Roth and 31-year-old Shoshana Greenbaum, who was pregnant. A third American, Chana Nachenberg, suffered grave injuries in the explosion and remained comatose for over two decades before succumbing to her wounds in May 2023, bringing the eventual death toll to 16.
Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi, a Jordanian national, facilitated and planned the bombing. She confessed to all charges in an Israeli court and was sentenced to 16 consecutive life terms. In October 2011, Israel released Tamimi alongside more than one thousand other prisoners in an exchange with Hamas to secure the freedom of captive soldier Gilad Shalit. After returning to Jordan, Tamimi was treated as a celebrity, hosting a weekly program on the Hamas-linked network Al-Quds TV for five years.
Federal Charges and Jordan's Refusal to Extradite
Under United States law, federal prosecutors retain authority to pursue foreign terrorists who kill or harm American nationals abroad. In 2013, the Department of Justice indicted Tamimi, unsealing a criminal complaint in March 2017 that charged her with conspiracy to deploy a weapon of mass destruction against American nationals resulting in death. The Federal Bureau of Investigation placed Tamimi on its Most Wanted Terrorist list, and the Department of State subsequently announced a bounty of up to five million dollars for information leading to her apprehension.
As reported by the Jewish News Syndicate, Washington formally petitioned Amman for her extradition under the 1995 bilateral extradition treaty signed by King Hussein. Jordanian authorities, however, have persistently rejected these demands. King Abdullah II has turned down formal appeals from senior American officials across successive presidential administrations, allowing Tamimi to remain shielded from American justice.
Congressional and Public Pressure on Amman
Jordan's refusal to honor its extradition obligations has sparked sharp criticism from victims' families and American lawmakers. Malki Roth's parents, Arnold and Frimet Roth, have campaigned for years to hold Amman accountable, emphasizing that the kingdom receives substantial taxpayer-funded American foreign assistance while sheltering an unrepentant terrorist.
In response, Representative Greg Steube proposed federal legislation titled "The Recognition of the 1995 Jordan Extradition Treaty with the U.S. Act" to suspend or limit American foreign assistance to Jordan until it complies with the extradition accord. Additionally, as reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, seven members of Congress sent a formal letter to Jordan's ambassador warning of potential sanctions. In July 2023, the American Jewish Committee also urged the Department of Justice to press Jordan directly. Far from agreeing to extradition, Jordan continues to shelter Tamimi from prosecution.