Posted on 11/10/2005 3:42:36 PM PST by Momaw Nadon
AMMAN, Jordan - Thousands of Jordanians rallied in the capital and other cities shouting "Burn in hell, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi!" a day after three deadly hotel bombings that killed at least 59 people. Officials suspected Iraqi involvement in the attacks, which were claimed by al-Qaida's Iraq branch.
As protesters in Jordan and elsewhere in the Arab world denounced the Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, security forces snared a group of Iraqis for questioning and officials said one of the bombers spoke Iraqi-accented Arabic before he exploded his suicide belt in the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
The main demonstration in Amman lasted for more than an hour. But honking vehicles, decorated with Jordanian flags and posters of King Abdullah II, cruised Amman's streets until late in the night, as passengers chanted "Death to al-Zarqawi, the villain and the traitor!" and anti-terrorism slogans.
About 50 people, including Jordanian children holding tiny flags, placed candles on a makeshift sand memorial in the driveway of the Hyatt.
King Abdullah II, a strong U.S. ally, vowed in a nationally televised address to "pursue those criminals and those behind them, and we will get to them wherever they are."
Two Americans were killed and four wounded in the bombings Wednesday evening at the Hyatt, the Radisson SAS and the Days Inn, State Department spokesman Noel Clay said. Two of the wounded were hospitalized.
Significantly, the victims also included some two dozen Palestinians with roots in the West Bank. Among them were the West Bank's intelligence chief, Maj. Gen. Bashir Nafeh, a diplomat and a prominent banker. Many Jordanians and Palestinians have supported the Iraqi insurgency, but the hotel bombings could tip Arab sentiment against al-Zarqawi.
In the West Bank village of Silet al-Thaher, members of the Akhras family mourned 13 of their relatives killed during a wedding party at the Radisson.
"Oh my God, oh my God. Is it possible that Arabs are killing Arabs, Muslims killing Muslims? For what did they do that?" screamed 35-year-old Najah Akhras, who lost two nieces in the attack. Similar thoughts were heard over and over throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Al-Qaida in Iraq, which appears to be expanding its operations outside of Iraq, said the bombings put the United States on notice that the "backyard camp for the Crusader army is now in the range of fire of the holy warriors."
But later Thursday, in an apparent response to the protests, al-Zarqawi's group took the rare step of trying "to explain for Muslims part of the reason the holy warriors targeted these dens."
"Let all know that we have struck only after becoming confident that they are centers for launching war on Islam and supporting the Crusaders' presence in Iraq and the Arab peninsula and the presence of the Jews on the land of Palestine," al-Qaida in Iraq said in an Internet statement, the authenticity of which could not be immediately verified.
Al-Zarqawi's group has claimed responsibility for previous attacks in Jordan, including the 2002 assassination of U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley. Jordan, a moderate Arab nation, has fought a long-running battle against Islamic extremists opposed to its 1994 peace deal with Israel.
In addition to the two Americans, the dead included 33 Jordanians, many with families ties to the Palestinian West Bank; six Iraqis; two Bahrainis; at least two Chinese; one Indonesian; and one Saudi. The others had not yet been identified. Officials said the death toll of 59 — which includes the three attackers — could rise because several of the 100 or so wounded victims were seriously hurt.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani condemned the Amman attacks and said they put Jordan on notice against harboring militants.
"Unfortunately there are still some groups in Jordan supporting terrorist criminals, describing them as the resistance, and they are deceived by their claims," Talabani said in Rome.
Two daughters of ousted leader Saddam Hussein now live in Jordan, as do many other wealthy and formerly powerful Iraqis.
"I hope that these attacks will wake up the `Jordanian street' to end their sympathy with Saddam's remnants ... who exploit the freedom in this country to have a safe shelter to plot their criminal acts against Iraqis," Iraqi government spokesman Laith Kubba said.
He also said Iraqis may have had a hand in the attacks.
"The al-Qaida organization has become as a plague that affected Iraq and is now transmitted by the same rats to other countries. A lot of Iraqis, especially former intelligence and army officers, joined this criminal cell," Kubba said.
One of the nearly simultaneous blasts tore through a banquet hall at the Radisson, where 300 guests were celebrating the wedding of the Jordanian-Palestinian couple.
"While I was shooting the pictures, all of sudden I saw a huge explosion, like the explosions we see on television, and people started screaming and pushing their way out of the hall," said wedding cameraman Osaka Rushed al-Saleh, 27. He spoke from his hospital bed, where he was recovering from facial and shoulder injuries.
President Bush said the attackers defiled Islam and the United States would help bring those responsible to justice.
"The killings should remind all of us that there is an enemy in this world that is willing to kill innocent people, willing to bomb a wedding celebration in order to advance their cause," Bush said during a meeting with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
A senior Jordanian security official linked the bombings to Iraq, Jordan's war-ravaged eastern neighbor, saying the Hyatt bomber spoke with an Iraqi accent and that authorities have detained several other Iraqis.
"Indications and initial reports point to Iraqi involvement but we cannot be certain," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak to the media.
Security staff patrolling the Hyatt stopped the middle-aged terrorist as he was wandering the lobby. He spoke briefly to the guards before detonating the explosives strapped underneath his Western-style suit, the official said.
The official said authorities made a number of arrests, including Jordanians, Iraqis and other Arabs.
Al-Zarqawi is believed to have trained at least 100 Iraqi suicide bombers as a special martyrdom corps to continue his group's war inside Iraq and possibly elsewhere in the Middle East.
While Jordanian security authorities have extensive networks tracking local militants, keeping tabs on Iraqis is believed to be much harder, particularly because nearly 1 million Iraqis have taken refuge in the country.
Officials from around the world sent condolences to Jordan and its ruler, King Abdullah II, who said his nation was targeted because it was committed to "fighting the terrorists who are killing innocents in the name of Islam."
Within hours of the attacks on the loosely guarded hotels, where there were no metal detectors at the entrances, security was intensified throughout the capital. Armed police patrolled outside hotels, set up checkpoints and randomly stopped vehicles to check them. For more than 12 hours, Jordanian authorities locked down their country's borders to prevent culprits possibly slipping out.
"We will bring them out from their holes and bring them to justice," Abdullah said.
From the pages of Vivificat!
I note and mark with my usual revulsion yet another homicide-bombing attack, this time in Amman, Jordan, yesterday. That maniacal organization from Iraq, lead by the Zarqawi character who believes himself to be "God's" avenging angel of death. Several bombings mowed down more Muslim lives in Baghdad today, as if to add insult to injury.
The people of Jordan marched today in defiance and condemnation of the homicide bombing. Good for them. As for me, I repeat what I always say in this situation.
God doesn't order the death of any one in His name. Zarqawi's "god" is not God. Zarqawi's father is the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning. Zarqawi's deeds unmask his true allegiance:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (St. John 8:44)This applies to Zarqawi, to his sponsors, to his followers, and to his cheerleaders. Let us pray for our enemies conversion, their healing, and for their prompt capture so that they can answer for their crimes, first here on earth, if possible, or before the True God, if necessary.
Fake made up story with no relation to reality is my opinion, until proven otherwise to my own eyes. Theyve lost the right to have me think they mean no harm. One mans opinion.
Was just getting ready to post this same article. Hopefully this leads to Al-Zarqawi now finding his supporters rejecting him and leading us and the Iraqis to where he is hiding.
As if this is something new.
Not a single mention anywhere of anyone suspecting this was a CIA/Mossad plot, which is encouraging.
""Oh my God, oh my God. Is it possible that Arabs are killing Arabs, Muslims killing Muslims? For what did they do that?" screamed 35-year-old Najah Akhras, who lost two nieces in the attack. Similar thoughts were heard over and over throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip."
That's a pretty significant (and all too typical) comment. The unspoken implication is that if the dead were non-Muslims, that would be acceptable.
Finally, they get it
Yes the people of Jordan get it, unfortunately the Democrats do not. Americans must wonder whose side they are on. How many lives have the Democrats cost our troops? More or less than the French?
(Palestinian)Ashraf Mohamed al-Akhras and his bride Nadia al-Alami (C) pose with their fathers during their wedding reception at Radisson SAS hotel in the center of Amman, November 9 2005. Both the bride and groom lost their fathers during the bombing.
Eventually Zarqawi and his ilk will have no sanctuary
except for Iran, then we can eradicate the cancer and it's source.
Such a chilling photo. These proud and smiling fathers are literally in the last few minutes of their lives.
http://isam.bayazidi.net/
extensive gallery of pics and a video of protests in Jordan.
Well, tomorrow is Friday (ie everyone's day off), and something tells me Jordanians will take to the streets by the thousands. Let's hope so anyway.
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