A Web statement yesterday in the name of al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed that the deadly hotel bombings in Amman, Jordan, were carried out by four Iraqis, including a husband and wife "who chose to accompany her husband to his martyrdom."
"All of these are Iraqis from the land between the two rivers," the statement said, alluding to Iraq's ancient name, Mesopotamia.
"They vowed to die and they chose the shortest route to receive the blessings of God," it said.
The statement could not be authenticated, but it appeared on a site which has included past al-Qaeda statements and was signed in the name of the group's spokesman, Abu Maysara al-Iraqi.
It also included a threat to Israel. The statement noted that Jordan, which it described as Israel's "buffer zone," was now "within range" and "it will not be long before raids by the mujahidin come" to the Jewish statement itself.
At least 60 people were killed on Wednesday in the blasts at three hotels in the Jordanian capital.
Yesterday, Jordanian police said they had rounded up 120 people, mainly Iraqis and Jordanians, in a nationwide hunt for those behind the bombings.
`GREATER ACCURACY'
Al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had claimed responsibility for the bombings. The latest statement said the attackers wore explosive belts "in order to achieve greater accuracy in hitting the target."
The statement said the plot was carried out in response to "the conspiracy against the Sunnis whose blood and honor were shed by the Crusaders and the Shiites" and with the connivance of the Arab League, which is trying to arrange an Iraqi reconciliation conference.
It also referred to "revenge for the Sunnis in Qaim," a city along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
US and Iraqi forces are conducting an offensive in that area against al-Qaeda-led forces.
It said the "martyrdom lovers and heaven yearners" selected the three hotel targets after "a month of surveillance and information gathering of the targets."
PSEUDONYMS
The Web statement identified the attackers by pseudonyms Abu Khabib, Abu Maath, Abu Omeir and the wife of Abu Omeir.
The husband and wife attacked the Day's Inn, the statement said.
"Those who executed the plan were able to enter the sites after passing through all the security measures of which the descendants of the traitor's dynasty were boasting," the statement said, referring to the Hashemite dynasty of King Abdullah II that rules Jordan.
The statement identified Abu Khabib as the leader of the operation and the one who struck in the bar of the SAS Radisson Hotel.
"He was followed by Abu Maath who chose the Hyatt Amman," the statement said.
Jordanian officials said they had found the remains of three males believed to have carried out the bombings but could not confirm that a woman was involved. They said it was possible a woman attacker had been at the Radisson and mistaken for a member of a wedding party that was hit by the blast.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
RSS