Jordan Times
Thursday, September 9, 2004
Amman will keep embassy
— ministry
AMMAN (JT) — The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said the embassy in Baghdad will
continue its work in spite of threats made by an Iraqi group yesterday.
“Our embassy in Baghdad is there to serve the
interests of our relations with Iraq and those of the Iraqi people,”
spokesperson Ali Ayed said. Ayed was responding to threats by an Iraqi group
calling itself “Al Hussein Islamic Brigades,” which demanded that Jordan and
Turkey close their diplomatic missions in Baghdad or “face painful
consequences.” In August 2003, 14 people were killed and more than 40 wounded in
a devastating car bombing of the Jordanian embassy in Baghdad.
The attack prompted the skeleton diplomatic staff to move to premises elsewhere
in the city. And in November, an Iraqi police auxiliary was killed outside the
relocated mission when it came under fire from unknown assailants.
The group said Jordanian and Turkish missions should leave Iraq because their
countries “transfer aid, supplies, equipment and ammunition to the invading
forces in our country, which encourages them to stay longer in Iraq.”
The Kingdom has a field hospital operating outside the restive Iraqi city of
Fallujah and the embassy remained open throughout the conflict.