U.S. Links al-Qaida to Jordan Attacks

[sabra]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-5406031,00.html

U.S. Links al-Qaida to Jordan Attacks


WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House said Thursday that the bombing of three U.S.-based hotels in Jordan ``has the hallmarks of al-Qaida.''

But, said White House press secretary Scott McClellan, the attacks in Jordan's capital of Amman that killed dozens of people remain under investigation and there has been no definitive conclusion yet about who was responsible.

In an Internet statement whose authenticity could not immediately be verified, al-Qaida in Iraq linked the blasts at the Grand Hyatt, the Radisson SAS and the Days Inn hotels to the war in Iraq and called Amman the ``backyard garden'' for U.S. operations. The hotels, frequented by Israelis and Americans among other foreign guests, have long been on al-Qaida's hit list.

...

Bush told Abdullah that he strongly supports his leadership and that the United States will stand with Jordan. ``Both leaders agreed that it's important to reiterate to the world that the terrorists cannot shake our will and our determination to defeat their hateful, murderous ideology,'' McClellan said.

[nolabels]

1. I would submit the name of one Ahmed Chalabi

http://www.counterpunch.org/chalabi05202004.html
The Truth About Ahmed Chalabi
Why the US Turned Against Their Former Golden Boy -- He was Preparing a Coup! What He Did as a Catspaw for Tehran: How He Nearly Bankrupted Jordan; the Billions He Stands to Make Out of the New Iraq

By ANDREW COCKBURN
(snip)

Just so funny how he is running around the beltway while things like this go down :shrug:

[EuroObserver]

2. Hmmm. As usual, not very clear...

There is this report extant from Al-Jazeera:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/972CB9BD-79A0-4B46-9891-FDD25906E49F

<snip>

Israelis evacuated before the bombing

Thursday 10 November 2005, 10:34 Makka Time, 7:34 GMT

The Israelis were staying at the Radisson hotel during the blast

A number of Israelis staying at the Radisson hotel in Amman were evacuated before the bombing by Jordanian security forces, apparently due to a specific security alert, according to the website of Israel's Haaretz newspaper.

They were escorted back to Israel by security personnel.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, according to the website, Haaretz.com, stated on Wednesday that no Israeli tourists were known to have been injured in the blasts. Representatives of Israel's embassy in Amman were in contact with local authorities to examine any report of injured Israelis, but none was received. Often, there are a number of Israeli businessmen and tourists in Amman, including in the hotels hit on Wednesday.

Israel's counter-terror headquarters on Wednesday recommended Israeli citizens not to travel to Jordan. Travel warnings regarding Jordan were tightened a few months ago, but many Israelis still visit the country. Many also visit other regions such as the Jordanian Arava and the ancient city of Petra.

</snip>

The original Haaretz article (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/643661.html) has apparently now been changed to this (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/643661.html) ie. at same link. At the present time, the Haaretz.com site appears to be unavailable. The original article is said to have read: "A number of Israelis staying on Wednesday at the Radisson hotel were evacuated before the bombing by Jordanian security forces, apparently due to a specific security alert. They were escorted back to Israel by security personnel." - ref. http://whatreallyhappened.com/

***************

Also, I, EuroObserver, observed (I have several evolving Reuters and some BBC reports archived in semi-realtime), first Reuters reports from the Radisson SAS hotel quoted first-on-scene police sources as describing a "bomb placed in a false ceiling": (saved own archives and: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-11-09T195455Z_01_WRI970423_RTRUKOC_0_UK-SECURITY-JORDAN.xml)

<snip>

Deadly blasts rock Jordanian hotels
Wed Nov 9, 2005 7:55 PM GMT9
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Related Articles
Bomb in ceiling caused Jordan hotel blast - source

AMMAN (Reuters) - At least five people were killed and more than 52 others wounded on Wednesday in blasts at two international hotels in the Jordanian capital, Amman, witnesses said.

A blast at the Radisson hotel killed at least five and wounded more than 12, Reuters witnesses said. The blast was caused by a bomb placed in a false ceiling, police sources at the scene told Reuters.

A separate blast shook the Hyatt Hotel in the capital, wounding at least 40, some seriously, a Reuters witness said.

The explosion at the Radisson ripped through a banqueting room where about 250 people were attending a wedding reception. The hotel is known to be popular with Israeli tourists.

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

</snip>

This reference to a ceiling bomb was still present in later Reuters reports as the 'suicide bombers' story began to be reported (sourced to Jordanian Ministry of Interior). Today (Thursday's) Spanish press (El País, La Vanguardia) also retain references to this little inconsistency...

ed. to add: The linked Reuters piece referred to above: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-11-09T194152Z_01_WRI970883_RTRUKOT_0_TEXT0.xml&related=true

<snip>

Bomb in ceiling caused Jordan hotel blast - source
Wed Nov 9, 2005 7:42 PM GMT173
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AMMAN (Reuters) - A blast at the Radisson hotel in the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday was caused by a bomb placed in a false ceiling, police sources at the scene told Reuters.


© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.


</snip>

[keopeli]

5. Very good of you to bring out this fact, EuroObserver nt

[ladjf]

3. Very astute. Of course, al -Quadi has already announced that

they were responsible.

[EuroObserver]

4. Haaretz.com still apparently offline at present n/t