Jordan 'was chemical bomb target' (WMDs al-Qaeda)

BBC ^ | Saturday, 17 April, 2004, 16:40 GMT 17:40 UK | Staff

[Anti-Bubba182]

Jordan 'was chemical bomb target'

Al-Qaeda-linked terrorists planned a chemical attack on Jordan's spy headquarters that could have killed 20,000 people, officials have said.

Earlier this week King Abdullah said a massive attack had been thwarted by a series of arrests, but named no target.

Now unnamed officials say the suspects have confessed to plotting to detonate a chemical bomb on the Amman HQ of the Intelligence Services.

The plot was reportedly hatched by al-Qaeda suspect Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi.

Washington has accused the 38-year-old Jordanian radical of masterminding a string of spectacular suicide bombings in Iraq.

'Deadly gas'

An official involved in the inquiry in Jordan told AFP news agency: "We found primary materials to make a chemical bomb which, if it had exploded, would have made nearly 20,000 deaths ... in an area of one square kilometre.

"The target of this bomb was the headquarters of the Intelligence Services," situated on a hill in the western suburb of Amman, he added.

The official said another operation planned by the network was to use "deadly gas against the US embassy and the prime minister's office in Amman ... and other public buildings in Jordan".

'Divine protection'

On Tuesday, in a letter thanking his intelligence chief for uncovering the plot, King Abdullah said Jordan had "lived through an extremely delicate situation in recent days".

"But divine protection has thwarted the plans of these criminals and saved the lives of thousands of civilians in what would have been a crime never before seen in the kingdom," he argued.

The intelligence chief General Saad Khair said the group used religion as a pretext for its actions, but their plans were anything but religious.

He thought that they wanted to attack Jordan's position on upholding Arab causes, especially Palestinian rights. He said mop-up operations were continuing.

Two weeks ago the authorities in Jordan said they had found cars carrying explosives by an underground group planning to attack US interests in the kingdom.

[Anti-Bubba182]

See also:

King Abdullah: Al Qaeda WMDs Came From Syria

This is huge,if true, about the "chemical bomb" or WMD device. The story is percolating through the net and there has been mention of a Syrian connection. I haven't seen reports of this on TV News yet.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

King Abdullah: Al Qaeda WMDs Came From Syria

Courtesy of Saddam I bet.

[DannyTN]

"...the group used religion as a pretext for its actions, but their plans were anything but religious. He thought that they wanted to attack Jordan's position on upholding Arab causes, especially Palestinian rights. He said mop-up operations were continuing. "

I don't understand the angle here. They were attacking Jordan because Jordan supports Palestinian causes??? That doesn't make sense. Unless they were going to blame it on the Jews.

[Inyokern]

the suspects have confessed

Jordan is very successful at pursuading suspects to confess. I wonder how they do it.

[Inyokern]

I haven't seen reports of this on TV News yet.

Gee, I wonder why.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"I don't understand the angle here. They were attacking Jordan because Jordan supports Palestinian causes??? That doesn't make sense. Unless they were going to blame it on the Jews."

The angle is that Jordan was too friendly to the US. The Palestinian faction and their Al-Qaeda allies have long wanted to take control in Jordan.

[Anti-Bubba182]

If WMDS(chemical weapons) were involved there really is no other likely place than Syria to provide them.

[jwfiv]

They attack Jordan to destabilize it with hope and intention of transforming it into an Islamokazi state ... which is why they also attack the Saudis.

[FairOpinion]

"King Abdullah: Al Qaeda WMDs Came From Syria

Courtesy of Saddam I bet."

===

Exactly.

Any sane person of any political persuasion should ask themselves whether they will feel safer with Bush or Kerry at the helm of our nation during these perilous times.

[camas]

i don't think jordan likes the palestinians. i once had a captain from their intell outfit tell me "if you lock 2 lifelong palestinian friends in a room that within 1 hour they will be trying to kill each other" pales are a pain in everones back side.

[FairOpinion]

"Jordan is very successful at pursuading suspects to confess. I wonder how they do it."

==
Clue #1:

Well, the don't have ACLU and the Democrat party looking out for the terrorists' interests!

[Shermy]

Isn't it true that the first WTC bombers added certain chemicals to their mix make their work a chemical bomb too - but that part failed?

[Inyokern]

I don't understand the angle here. They were attacking Jordan because Jordan supports Palestinian causes???

The Palestinians HATE the Hashemite government of Jordan. They assassinated Abdullah's great-grandfather (also named Abdullah) and they made numerous attempts on the life of Abdullah's father, King Hussein. King Hussein killed more Palestinian radicals than the Israelis ever have.

[Anti-Bubba182]

I think that could well be the case.

The main thing here is that Al Qaeda used WMDs and they probably came from Syria, which may very well have got them from Iraq.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I've heard that before and I don't know how true it is.

[DonaldDuke]

This is huge,if true, about the "chemical bomb" or WMD device

Well, now we know where another bit of Saddam's stuff went. We already know that all his botulinum toxin were hidden in John Kerry's forehead.

[metalcor]

"He said mop-up operations were continuing."

I hope he is talking about the interrogation room. They are likely collecting the final thoughts of the prisoners with a squeegee.

[Inyokern]

Isn't it true that the first WTC bombers added certain chemicals to their mix make their work a chemical bomb too - but that part failed?

Well, if they had, Clinton would have surely gone after them, right? According to Richard Clarke, Clinton made terrorism a top priority.

I am sure he would have sent Jamie Gorelick out there to personally find those chemical weapons.

[reed_inthe_wind]

Sounds like BS. Jordan is pointing the finger at Syria, because they fear being inplicated in any future WMD fiasco.

[Shermy]

This Salon article says the poison story in the WTC bomb was an unfounded rumor:

The billion-dollar rumor