Jordan Times
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Zarqawi behind attacks — gov't
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday
said initial findings showed that the suicide bombers, who carried the attacks
on three Amman hotels last week, killing 57, were Iraqis.
“...Our initial findings [show that the attackers] are Iraqis. So there are only
two logistical places that they could have come across: Either the Iraqi or the
Syrian border,” King Abdullah told CNN's Brent Sadler in an interview yesterday.
On Wednesday, Agence France-Presse quoted a Jordanian official as saying that
the Iraqi bombers entered the Kingdom on Monday, two days before the attack.
“Jordanian investigators have identified three male suicide bombers, Iraqis who
entered Jordan on November 7,” the official told AFP.
Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher earlier Saturday confirmed that three
“non-Jordanian men” of Al Qaeda in Iraq were behind the triple blasts that
killed 57 people.
“We can confirm that Al Qaeda carried out the attacks, in particular Abu Mussab
Zarqawi's faction,” Muasher told a press conference.
He said Wednesday's bombings, which ripped through Amman's Radisson SAS, the
Grand Hyatt and Days Inn hotels, were executed by three males and refuted a
claim by the group that a fourth woman was among the attackers.
“There were no indicators whatsoever that there was a fourth woman amongst the
bombers as was mentioned on Al Qaeda's website,” he said.
“All those who took part in these operations were non-Jordanians. I will not go
into details now. But there were no Jordanians among them.”
In a statement posted on the Internet Friday, Al Qaeda claimed that four Iraqis,
including a husband and wife, carried out the suicide attacks. The authenticity
of the statement could not be verified.
Initial investigation results and news reports indicated that the three
attackers were Iraqis. Eyewitnesses and employees at the Grand Hyatt and Days
Inn said two bombers spoke with an Iraqi accent.
According to the Associated Press, police were investigating the theory that two
bombs — one believed to be attached to a suicide attacker and another ball
bearing-packed package — were used at Radisson SAS in the middle of a wedding
ceremony.
Quoting a senior police official, AP said many of the people killed and maimed
in Radisson SAS attack suffered wounds caused by ball bearings, which indicates
that the explosive-packed belt worn by the bomber was not the only explosive
device used.
But an investigation source said as there has not been any evidence indicating
that there was another explosive device used at Radisson SAS other than the
explosive belt. “But I cannot totally negate that theory. It remains to be
possible,” the source added.
Bombs packed with ball bearings are designed to inflict maximum damage over a
wide area. The source said many of the bodies had sustained shrapnel from the
powerful explosion.
Muasher said 12 suspects were under interrogation over their involvement in the
attacks. A security source said forces have rounded up scores of suspects over
the past three days in a nationwide hunt for terrorists. But Muasher said many
of those picked up under suspicion of being involved in the largest attack in
the country's history were released after interrogation. Police sources said the
authorities were also looking for eight vehicles, two of which carry Iraqi
licence plates.
Muasher said the Karameh crossing to Iraq was reopened, adding that the border
posts have been equipped with new security devices. The minister told reporters
that the government has intensified its security measures, saying metal
detectors were being placed at hotels in Amman and Aqaba as well as other
official buildings and public venues such as malls.
He said further measures will be taken to ensure the safety of citizens from a
repetition of such attacks.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana is also expected to visit the Kingdom on
Sunday, while Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice are due on Monday. On Saturday, Iraqi Defence Minister Sadoun
Dulaimi arrived in Amman to deliver a letter to King Abdullah from Iraqi Prime
Minister Ibrahim Jaafari.
Muasher yesterday stressed there would not be a public backlash against the over
500,000 Iraqis living in Jordan saying: “The Iraqi brothers in Jordan are dear
guests and these terror groups have no nationality. There will be no
restrictions on the Iraqi people except for the [normal] measures to regulate
visitors from all countries.”
And King Abdullah told CNN that Iraqis are very pleased to be here.
“This is something that we as Jordanians are extending to the Iraqis in their
very difficult time, a safe haven from the difficulties that they are facing
inside of Iraq.”