I just received this press release from the owner of the Radisson SAS hotel bombed earlier today:
We are the owners of Radisson SAS Jordan. As the owners we want to send deep condolences to all the staff and guests.We are deeply shocked and obviously condemn such acts. We very briefly want to set the record straight on 2 points. Firstly, news reports have been indicating that the Radisson SAS was specifically attacked because it is an American hotel and has hosted Israelis. I want to make it clear that the Radisson SAS is a Scandinavian chain and owned by Palestinian-Jordanians. Furthermore, the Radisson SAS owners and staff represent the strongest supporters out of all the hotels in Jordan for the Palestinian and Iraqi people. We have expressed our support throughout the decades and will continue to do so.
In deep sadness,
Mary Nazzal, Owner Representative for Radisson SAS Hotels Jordan
A number of media outlets have been referring to the hotels targeted in the bombings as "American hotels." CNN is one of those doing so. This press release directly disputes this claim. I just hope they get a copy of it.
So, lets see according Ms. Nazzal the bombers just made a mistake. You see ,the Hilton across the road–that is one the hosts Jews and Westerners, that is one that should have been bombed. When will people understand that Israel is often just an excuse, the fact that Ms. Nazzal doesn’t wear a hijab infuriates them more (whether or not she does, I really don’t know). The fact that people stay at that hotel and drink alcohol and (gasp) have eaten pork in their lives–get those Westerners out of Jordan!!!
Here would have been a better response
“We at SAS unequivacally condemn this bombing. The bombers claim that we were targeted because we host Jews and Westerners. Yes, we do, and we have nothing to be ashamed for that. We host people of all nationalities, races, religions. The bombers never thought to ask us our our political opinions, the bombers never thought to engage us in discussion, their goal was to kill. Did they not realize that they would kill mostly Jordanians in Jordan? Yes,they did, because its worth killing 20 Jordanians who were probably engaged in mixed dancing at a wedding as long as they could reach 1 Westerner. And why was that westerner here? Well, probably for business reasons, probably helping the economy and providing jobs for average Jordanians”
Her response is sickening. Could you imagine back in the day a KKK member bombing a white church and then the pastor coming out and saying “dam you KKK members–you meant to blow up the black church next door, not us, we are good white folk like you.”
The Muslim and Arab world is outraged by the Amman bombings. That’s a good thing. But I hope they can extend those sentiments to the killing of innocents anywhere, anytime.
Arab press is calling this an intolerable crime.
UAE’s Gulf Today called it a heinous act and criminal aggression.
Even Hamas and the PA condemned these acts in the strongest of terms. I hope that means no suicide bombings there.
Meanwhile, the Israel evacuation story (or denial) is getting play in some US media outlets.
From the Los Angeles Times:
Natasha, glad to know your family is safe! I couldn’t know anything about my family till early this morning, they’re fine, thank God!
RE: Ceiling bomb
The ceiling bomb report popped out in the early hours after the attack and the date of the story referenced here is 9 November; it’s old. Since that timen it’s been confirmed, albeit not officially, that it was a suicide bomber. Apparently there is full video of the arrival of both of these guys and detonation; there’s vehicle footage too from Days Inn.
Additionally, there have been quotes from a number of witnesses that said a man entered, headed towards the bar initially — looking nervous — then saw the wedding party and made his way there, apparently to exact the most vicious carnage.
The initial ceiling story was running alongside the rumor that the wedding was targeted specifically. I believe that idea has been nixed in light of the video footage and eyewitness testimony.
This just in from Reuters, via MSNBC:
Updated: 2:39 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2005
AMMAN – 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.
(c) Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world
Chaya,
All this talk about Israel came from … Israel itself. Once again, it was HAARETZ which ran the original article and it was HAARETZ which retracted its earlier statement.
I suggested you write HAARETZ and tell them exactly what you wrote here.
Natasha – all this talk about Israel is just a way to deflect away from the real issue here: that fundamentalists are trying to destabilize the Jordanian govt. and threaten the monarchy in order to establish a Wahabi version of Islam there.
What’s so ironic about that? I don’t understand.
If you google Mary Nazzal, you’ll find she’s an anti-Israel organizer. Pretty ironic, frankly.
Seems four palestinian officials were killed in the attacks, Aljazeera tv is saying.
One was a Brigadier General in charge of military intelligence and the other a colonel I believe in charge of preventive security.
The other two were a senior Palestinian banker and the commercial attache at the Palestinian embassy in Cairo.
No further details on other nationalities.
Chinese foreign ministry has said three Chinese were among those killed.
US officials are saying at least one American killed, and several others wounded.
Sakaffat,
Can you stop your Sakhafat now and focus on the barbaric attacks that happened in Jordan and stop worrying about what the Israelis are doing…! At this moment of my life, I do not care about anything besides the attack in Jordan…! You should do the same if you really care about your country..