At least 57 people were killed and more than 100 injured when suicide bombers blew themselves up at three hotels in Amman, the capital of Jordan, on Wednesday night.
The hotels — the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn — were popular with foreigners and many of the guests were involved in work in Iraq. The attacks destroyed the fragile calm that Jordan has enjoyed despite its proximity to Iraq and the support of its ruler, King Abdullah, for American and British policy in Iraq.
All the attacks occurred at about 9pm, prompting one police officer to state: ”The attacks carry the trademark of al-Qaeda … We are investigating.” Al-Qaeda’s leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was raised in the town of Zarqa, outside Amman. On Thursday the group claimed responsibility for the attacks. A statement, which has not been authenticated, was posted on a website used by militant groups and said Amman was targeted because it is the ”backyard” for US operations.
Witnesses at the Grand Hyatt, which is a short distance from the Radisson in central Amman, said a suicide bomber blew himself up close to the hotel’s lobby and bar. An American businessman, who refused to give his name, told the Associated Press news agency: ”Several of my friends have died. The people who carried this out were cowards.”
King Abdullah condemned the attacks as ”criminal acts committed by a deviant and misleading bunch”, and said they would not sway Jordan from continuing its battle against terrorism. He cut short an official visit to Kazakhstan to return home. ”The hand of justice will get to the criminals who targeted innocent, secure civilians with their cowardly acts,” he added.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was shocked and saddened by the bombings. ”We were deeply grateful for the support of the Jordanian government and people after the attacks in London in July and we stand together in this battle against the scourge of terrorism.”
Blair’s office said he had offered Jordan any help the British government could provide. US President George W Bush also condemned the attack. His spokesperson, Scott McClellan said: ”The president condemns in the strongest possible terms the vicious terrorist attacks against innocent civilians.” He said the US would offer ”every possible form of cooperation in investigating the attacks and assisting in efforts to bring these terrorists to justice”. Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary General who is on a trip in the Middle East, cancelled plans to travel to Amman on Thursday.
Since the outbreak of war in Iraq, Jordan has been a haven for Iraqis fleeing their country and foreign workers seeking rest and recuperation. The peace has been guaranteed by tough internal security led by a secret service that has a reputation for disregarding human rights.
King Abdullah has supported the US operation in Iraq largely against the wishes of his five million subjects. But there has been little public protest against the king and Jordan’s Islamists have stood against violence.
The economy has boomed in the wake of the Iraq war. This year it grew by 7% and property prices in Amman have doubled, as Westerners and Iraqis compete for accommodation and offices. About 500 000 wealthy Iraqis have fled to Jordan with their savings and it has become a service centre for organisations and businesses involved in the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq.
In the past two years big Western hotels have sprung up and their bars and restaurants are filled with aid workers and bodyguards taking a break from their work in Iraq. The nightclub of the Grand Hyatt was a popular meeting place for east European prostitutes and foreign workers.
Security in Amman has been tight. But it is lax compared with Cairo, Egypt, where guests have to walk through metal detectors and all luggage is X-rayed. It would have been relatively easy for a suicide bomber to walk into any of the hotels. — Â