Your news article, “‘Devastating’ Extradition Fight For Terror Victim’s Family” (April 14), indicated that the reason Jordan has not surrendered the indicted terrorist Ahlam al-Tamimi (killer of Americans and Israelis, including children) is that the Jordanian Supreme Court claims the U.S.-Jordan extradition treaty is not valid.
Formal extradition treaties are not the only way to bring a suspect to justice. To avoid the time and expense of going through the official extradition process, some countries that have treaties with the U.S. prefer to informally hand over criminals for prosecution. Mexico uses this form of rendition (handing-over) so often that in the criminal justice system it is nicknamed “extradition, Mexican-style.”
Jordan is supposed to be America’s friend. The U.S. gave Jordan $393 million in aid last year. Surely the Trump administration can find ways to make the Jordanians understand that they had better hand over Tamimi —whether via extradition or another method — if they don’t want American-Jordanian relations to suffer. For the war on terror to succeed, there must be consequences for countries that shelter killers of Americans.
Stephen M. Flatow
Vice President, Religious Zionists of America
Editor’s Note: The writer is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995.
