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THE MAIN PERSON of interest being sought by gardaí in relation to the murder of US woman Jamey Carney has been arrested in his native Jordan.
Ahmad Al-Saqar, who was romantically involved with Carney for a number of months before her violent death, was detained by Jordan’s Public Security Directorate.
Al-Saqar had been living in Ireland for a number of years having gone through the international protection system here.
He comes from a town in northern Jordan called Al Husn, within the Irbid region. It is understood that Al-Saqar took a flight to Turkey before travelling on to his home country immediately after the killing of Jamey Carney.
Al-Saqar had already left Ireland when the 43-year-old American’s body was discovered last Tuesday in the home she shared with her teenage daughter, on the Muckross Road in Killarney.
It is not yet clear what led to his detention as no Irish arrest warrant was issued. There is also no formal extradition arrangement between Ireland and Jordan.
The Journal has learned that gardaí have contacted members of the suspect’s family in Jordan. Some of his relatives posted messages on social media yesterday, threatening to take legal action against people they accuse of defaming him and their family.
In a post shared across social media platforms, they claim that he is “innocent until proven guilty”.
His brother, a nurse at the al Khalidi Hospital, and wider family members, have shared a warning on social media to those contacting them with a “wave of negative comments”.
The warning is titled: ‘Statement, Warning, and Tribal Notice’.
It opens by saying that a person is “innocent until proven guilty”.
“Unfortunately, some reckless voices have rushed ahead of the ongoing case involving our son Ahmad Al-Suqour (previously residing in Ireland),” it continues.
The statement claims that the family have faced “malicious attempts” to “spread racism and sow division among the people of our united Jordanian and Palestinian community.”
They further claim that people have been “insulting the dignity of the young man and the reputation of the Al-Suqour tribe throughout the country”.
The family then warn that they will pursue “legal action” against “defamation” or “racist incitement”, and say that a “legal team” has already been formed to this end.
They add that evidence of such online commentary will be submitted to the Cybercrime Unit of the Jordanian police.
The family say that in addition to this, they will pursue anyone who “insults members of the tribe or their family” through “tribal customs and traditions”.
To sign off, the statement says: “we trust the judiciary and the course of justice. We will not allow any platform or irresponsible individual to turn themselves into judge and jury.”
Members of Jamey Carney’s family have set up a GoFundMe page to enable people to support them in this time. It has raised over €15,000 to date.
Her sister Devon Bennett writes that the mother-of-one was an “insanely caring human being, who dedicated so much of herself, her energy, and her time, to fighting for the rights of others.” Bennett says that she and her mother travelled to Ireland “within a day of hearing the news”.
Bennett added that Carney, originally from New York, felt her “true home” was in Ireland, where she felt she truly “belonged”.
She said that with the cost of last minute travel, accommodation and the upcoming funeral costs, they are “reaching out to the public for help”.
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