Jordan hangs two terrorists in retaliation for killing of pilot

Taken away: An ambulance believed to be transporting the bodies of Iraqis Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouli leaves Swaqa prison near Amman after the Al Qaeda militants were executed 

This morning, government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani announced that two of those prisoners had been executed.

Al-Rishawi was hanged at dawn alongside Ziad al-Karbouli, an Iraqi al Qaeda operative, who was convicted in 2008 for killing a Jordanian.

The executions took place at Swaqa prison about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of the Jordanian capital of Amman. 

At sunrise, two ambulances carrying the bodies drove away from the prison with security escorts.

A security source familiar with the case said: They were both calm and showed no emotions and just prayed.'

It came after Momani vowed that Jordan's response to the pilot's killing would be 'earth-shattering'.

Over the past week, Jordan had offered to trade al-Rishawi, a failed suicide bomber, for the pilot, but froze any swap after saying it had received no proof he was still alive.