A gunman has shot dead a Jordanian writer outside a courthouse, where he was expected to stand trial on charges of sharing a cartoon deemed insulting to Islam.

State news agency Petra quoted an unidentified security source as saying that Nahed Hattar was killed on Sunday by an assailant who fired three shots at him in front of the Palace of Justice in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

“The assailant was arrested and investigations are ongoing,” the source added.

Two witnesses said the gunman was in a traditional Arab dishdasha worn by Salafis.



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Jordanian writer Nahed Hattar[/caption]

Hattar had been arrested in August after posting the caricature on his Facebook account. The 56-year-old Christian was charged with inciting sectarian strife and insulting Islam before being released on bail in early September.

The authorities accused the writer of violating law by sharing the cartoon.

Hattar had later apologized and said that he had not meant to disrespect God but rather to mock radicals and their perception of the religion.

By Press TV