The death toll from a series of blasts that rocked
three hotels in the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday night has
climbed to at least 57, Xinhua News Agency today quoted Jordan’s
Deputy Prime Marwan Moasher as saying.?
Over 300 others were wounded in the blasts at the
Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels in Amman, Moasher
said on state television.
According to the Xinhua, the Chinese Embassy in
Jordan said three members of a visiting Chinese military delegation
were killed and another one?injured.
"The attacks were carried out either by individuals
wearing explosives on their belts or in one instance by a car that
attempted to cross through the security barrier," said Moasher,
adding that most of the victims were
Jordanians.??
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who is visiting
Kazakhstan, condemned the bombing attacks as criminal acts
committed by a few of stray individuals, Jordanian TV reported.
He said they would not sway the country’s role in
combating terror, and he vowed to bring those responsible to
justice, as Jordan would "remain a safe country."
Police said the biggest explosion happened at the
Radisson SAS hotel where a wedding parting was being held.
The attacks bore the trademarks of the al-Qaida
terror network, police said, adding that investigations are
underway.??
Visiting the Grand Hyatt hotel, Jordanian Prime
Minister Adnan Badran ordered schools and government offices to
close today.
Meanwhile, police have cordoned off hotels and
embassies in the capital.
Shortly after the blasts, UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, announced the cancellation
of his planned visit to Jordan on Thursday.
The targeted hotels, owned by what Xinhua called
“American interests,” are frequented by foreign tourists and
diplomats, police said, warning that there may be higher
casualties.
(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2005)
