By AbdelHadi Ramahi
HAMOUD, Jordan, Oct 25 (Reuters) - When gunmen opened fire on a church in Jordan, Sahar al-Halsa hid behind a pillar as she heard the shooting and people screamed in panic during a funeral service for her cousin's daughter.
When she rushed outside in the chaos, she said she spotted the assailants and another cousin lying on the ground wounded.
"I went to him and said: 'Assem, Assem, my darling, answer me'," she said.
She said he opened his eyes to look at her, but then "he was gone".
Friday's attack on the Greek Orthodox place of worship in Karak governorate, about 120 km (75 miles) southwest of the capital Amman, prompted King Abdullah, a US partner in the fight against Islamist militant groups, to order security forces to respond with an "iron fist" to what authorities described as extremist terrorism.
PRIEST SENDS MESSAGE OF LOVE AND PEACE
Nine people died in the shooting that witnesses said lasted for several minutes. The funeral services were held on Sunday. Forty people were wounded in the rare attack on minority Christians.
Speaking from her home, from where the red dome of St George's church is visible, al-Halsa concluded that God must have saved her.
"My life starts now, because I was going to die," she said, speaking beside her husband Ziad al-Halsa. A statue of Jesus on a cross was displayed on a shelf.
Authorities have said they are still searching for the attackers, adding it was too early to determine whether they had links to known groups inside or outside Jordan.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility.
Ziad said he ran the short distance to the church after he heard the gunfire, describing the overwhelming sense of relief when he realised Sahar, who he described as "the love of his life", was safe.
"To my cousins, may God have mercy on them," he said.
Such attacks are highly unusual in Jordan, a relatively stable state in the Middle East, though authorities there say they have foiled several Islamist plots in recent years.
Speaking ahead of the funerals, priest Yuhanna Hamati said:
"Our message from this church, from this place where this horrific crime was committed, is a message of love, peace, and reassurance. A message that we send to the whole world."
(Writing by Michael Georgy;Editing by Alison Williams)
