Five days before the 25th anniversary of the August 9, 2001, bombing of the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations sent the following letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the United States to demand that Jordan immediately extradite Ahlam Aref Ahmad Al-Tamimi. The U.S. Department of Justice charged Al-Tamimi for her role in the attack, which murdered 16 people, including three Americans, and the FBI continues to list her among its Most Wanted Terrorists. The letter calls on the Administration to press Jordan to fulfill its extradition treaty obligations and send Al-Tamimi to the United States to face justice.
August 4, 2026
Dear Secretary Rubio,
We write to renew our call for the extradition of Ahlam Aref Ahmad Al-Tamimi, an FBI
Most Wanted Terrorist charged by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the
August 9, 2001, bombing of the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem. The attack killed sixteen
people, including three American citizens, and wounded many more. Among those
murdered was 15-year-old Malka Chana “Malki” Roth, an American citizen whose
parents, Frimet and Arnold Roth, have spent nearly twenty-five years seeking justice.
As the 25th anniversary of the attack approaches on August 9, 2026, Tamimi continues to
live openly in Jordan. She has publicly acknowledged her role in the bombing and has
repeatedly spoken about her involvement, yet she has never been held accountable in a
U.S. court for the murder of American citizens.
Jordan has maintained that the 1995 extradition treaty was never properly ratified, a
position reflected in its Court of Cassation’s 2017 decision denying the U.S. extradition
request. The United States has consistently rejected that position and maintained that the
treaty is valid and in force. We urge the State Department to publicly reaffirm that view
and press Jordan to meet its obligations.
This case directly concerns the murder of American citizens abroad, the enforcement of
a binding extradition treaty, and the principle that those responsible for terrorist attacks
against Americans cannot evade accountability. Accordingly, we respectfully urge the
State Department to make Tamimi’s extradition a priority in the U.S.-Jordan
relationship, raise the matter directly with King Abdullah II, and demand her immediate
extradition in compliance with the treaty.
Justice for the Americans murdered in the Sbarro pizzeria bombing requires sustained
U.S. leadership, respect for treaty obligations, and accountability for terrorism.
Sincerely,
Betsy Berns Korn William C. Daroff
Chair Chief Executive Officer
