A Jordanian policeman was killed and another injured in what authorities described as a "cowardly terrorist attack" in the capital Amman on Thursday.
Corporal Jawad Ali Khalaf Al Salayta was carrying out his duties when he was attacked with a sharp object on Medina Street at around 12.20pm, the Public Security Directorate said in a statement.
A police patrol intervened, subdued the attacker and arrested him. The officer leading the patrol was injured in the face during the confrontation, the statement said.
Mr Al Salayta was taken to hospital but later died of his injuries. The wounded officer was also in hospital in a stable condition.
Initial investigations indicated that the suspect had planned to carry out a terrorist attack against Public Security Directorate personnel, the spokesperson said.
The directorate said it was mourning Mr Al Salayta, describing him as having been killed while performing his duty in service of the country.
Prosecutors at the State Security Court have begun an investigation, said state news agency Petra.
Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein, deputy to King Abdullah II, visited the injured policeman currently receiving treatment at the King Hussein Medical Center, Petra said. He expressed his condolences for Corporal Al Salayta.
The prince said King Abdullah closely following the progress of the investigation into the terrorist attack, and condemns any act that threatens the security and safety of the Jordanian people.
Government spokesman Mohammad Al Momani said that attacks on security personnel while they are carrying out their duties were an assault on the rule of law and on all Jordanians.
“The security and stability of the homeland are above all else,” he said, adding that the state and its institutions were capable of protecting citizens and enforcing the law.
Last month, nine Christians were killed and 34 injured when gunmen opened fire during a funeral service at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Karak governorate.
Jordanian authorities later arrested three men on suspicion of carrying out the attack. The church is in the village of Hmoud, about 80km south of Amman.
It was the deadliest attack on Jordan’s Christian minority since the 1950s. There are about 250,000 Christians among Jordan’s population of 11 million. All nine victims were men, several of them members of the prominent Halasah clan.
The suspects in the church attack were charged with terrorism offences. Prosecutors said the case had been referred to the State Security Court, which will start trial proceedings.
