Al-Zarkawi threatens Jordan's King Abdullah

Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the leader of the al Qaeda presence in Iraq and the person responsible for the recent bombings in Amman, Jordan, has issued a threat to Jordan's King Abdullah II. An audiotape with a voice believed to be Al-Zarqawi carried the threat on Friday. The threats went so far as to say that al Qaeda is capable of cutting the head off of the King, and promised more bombings of hotels and other sites in Jordan.



Three hotels were targeted by the bombers, and a total of 59 people were killed in the blasts, including 30 members of a Jordanian wedding party, sparking outrage among Jordanians. Al-Zarqawi has stated that the wedding party was not the intended target. Instead, Israeli and American intelligence personnel were the target.

Jordanians have reacted to the blasts by denouncing al-Zarqawi as a coward and a murderer, and by staging demonstrations against him. Before the blasts, al-Zarqawi enjoyed some slim support in Jordan, likely because Jordan was his birthplace. This support has disappeared and been replaced by anger.

The bombings may prove to be al-Zarqawi's undoing as a legendary terrorist, since sentiment for him is now all but gone. This may prove to be an important milestone in the fight to control Iraq.

[edit on 11/23/05 by FredT]

Well, al-Qaida is not waging a popularity campaign, they have no democratic aspirations.

The real objective is to undermine and ultimately depose the secular Jordanian government of King Abdullah II.

In his videotape, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says that al-Qaida undertook its attack because "the tyrant of Jordan has turned [the country] into a back yard for the enemies of Islam, such as the Jews and the Crusaders,"


Their rhetoric should not be dismissed.

On October 26, 1994 the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed the peace treaty.


In 1991, King Hussein opposed the first Gulf war and up from that time, U.S.-Jordanian military and intelligence relations have flourished.

In March 1995, ~ 1,200 personnel and 34 U.S. F-15 / F-16s set up camp at two airbases -- Shaheed Mwaffaq airbase (Muaffaq-as Salti) and H-5 (Prince Hassan) to enforce the Iraqi southern no fly zone.

Jordan was officially designated a combat zone for U.S. personnel on ]Sep. 19, 2001

On Jan. 30, 2003, Jordan granted blanket overflight rights to the U.S..

Over 5,000 U.S. and coalition troops were stationed in Jordan at the beginning of “Operation Iraqi Freedom“. (U.K. deployed Harrier Jump jets and Australia helicopters)

Today, Jordan flies American F-16s and its units carry out public exchanges with the 162nd Fighter Wing in Tucson, Arizona.

Also, Iraqi refugees, businessmen and defectors came into Jordan. Iraqi population and Iraqi commerce grew in the country (~ 350,000 Iraqis currently reside in Jordan, they can enter without visas) Amman became a hub for anti-Saddam operations.

GID (Jordan's General Intelligence Directorate) has become the CIA's most important and effective counter-terrorism ally in the ME

You have voted Riwka for the Way Above Top Secret award. You have two more votes this month.

Great post, Riwka!

In his videotape, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi says that al-Qaida undertook its attack because "the tyrant of Jordan has turned [the country] into a back yard for the enemies of Islam, such as the Jews and the Crusaders,"


Their rhetoric should not be dismissed.

Totally true. Dismiss their words at your own peril. One good thing about Zarqawi targetting Jordan is that he will spread himself that much thinner, and possibly make a fatal mistake because of that.

Thank you!

Yes, I think Zarqawi made a big, big mistake.

Maybe he thought, Jordan would close borders to Iraq or Jordanians would abuse the Kingdom's Iraqi population.

But this did not happen, Jordanians are well aware that Iraqi nationals living in this country had nothing to do with what took place. And in an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, King Abdullah said: „The Kingdom will continue to be a safe haven for every Iraqi who is forced, by circumstances in the neighbouring country, to come and live in Jordan“
(The Jordan Times)

On Friday, Jordanians took to the streets in their thousands to shout "Death to Zarqawi!" and "Burn in hell, Zarqawi!"

At least 200,000 persons demonstrated against the attacks in Amman. An anti-terrorist demonstration of such size is unprecedented in the Arab world, where Zarqawi, ObL and their al-Qaida organization have attained somehow “folk-hero status“ among Muslim masses.

Even Zarqawi's family in Jordan disowns him in a large advertised statement addressed to King Abdullah II and signed by 76 members of the Khalayleh family of the prominent Bani Hassan clan, from which Zarqawi hails.


[edit on 20-11-2005 by Riwka]