Jordan gunman kills 1 in tourist attack
AMMAN, Jordan - A gunman opened fire on Western tourists at Roman ruins in the heart of Jordan's capital Monday, killing a British man and wounding six people before being overpowered. Police said the attacker came from the same area as the slain leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
The attack at an ancient amphitheater came despite a heavy clampdown on security in this key U.S. ally since a string of deadly bombings at hotels last November that al Qaida in Iraq claimed to have staged.
Police were trying to determine if the alleged gunman, Nabeel Ahmed Issa Jaourah, was enticed by Islamic militants or a terror group to carry out the shooting, said a Jordanian security official, who agreed to discuss the investigation only if not quoted by name.
The official said Jaourah, 38, is from Rusaifa, a village outside Zarqa, the hometown of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed June 7 when a U.S. warplane bombed his hideout in Iraq. Zaqra is an industrial town northeast of Amman that is a hub for extremist Muslims.
Preliminary investigations found no link between known terror groups and Jaourah, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin who worked as a metal welder, the official said. Jaourah is believed to be an observant Muslim who once wore a beard — traditional among some conservative Muslims — but he was clean-shaven when he carried out the assault, the official added.
It was the first major terror attack in Jordan since the triple hotel bombings in the capital last November that killed 63 people, including three suicide bombers.
"This is a cowardly terrorist attack, which we regret took place on Jordanian soil," said Interior Minister Eid al-Fayez. "This operation is considered a terrorist act unless the man is found to be deranged."
The gunman struck just outside the entrance to the popular amphitheater ruins in downtown Amman about 12:30 p.m., said one witness, Mohammad Jawad Ali, an Iraqi.
The attacker shouted "Allahu akbar," or God is great, as he ran past the tourists, firing at them from behind. Then he turned around, facing them, and continued to shoot, the security official said.
He said bystanders, including Iraqi refugees, helped two tourist police capture the assailant, who tried to flee.
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was "extremely saddened" by the shooting. "Acts of violence such as this are as senseless as they are callous," she said in a statement.
The U.S. Embassy said it extended "deepest condolences" to the victims. "We have the utmost confidence in the Jordanian security forces," it added.
The dead man was identified only as a 30-year-old British man. Al-Fayez said the wounded included two British women, a Dutch man, an Australian woman, a woman from New Zealand and a Jordanian tourist police officer.
Health Minister Saeed Darwazeh said the Dutch man underwent surgery to repair his liver. He said the one of the two British women was in intensive care, but did not elaborate on her condition. He said the New Zealander was expected to undergo surgery to remove a bullet.
The rest were in stable condition, he said.
Tourism Minister Munir Nassar said the six tourists arrived in Jordan on Sunday for a five-day sightseeing tour of the kingdom.
He predicted the attack would have little effect on Jordan's tourism industry, calling terrorism a global phenomenon. "The whole world is a victim of terrorism and crime," he said.
The majority of the victims in last November's attacks at hotels were Jordanian Muslim women and children. But there have been attacks on foreigners in Jordan in recent years and authorities say they have foiled a number of other terror plots.
After the November bombings, authorities tightened security around all tourist attractions and hotels, adding more metal detectors and police patrols.
Monday's attack seems to have succeeded because the gunman shot the tourists just outside the amphitheater's entrance — an area frequented by low-income and unemployed Jordanians and Iraqis in a district populated by conservative Muslims.
The amphitheater, built by the Romans in A.D. 169-77, rises out of one of Amman's hillsides. It seats 6,000 people and is used for musical and other performances.
AP
The attack at an ancient amphitheater came despite a heavy clampdown on security in this key U.S. ally since a string of deadly bombings at hotels last November that al Qaida in Iraq claimed to have staged.
Police were trying to determine if the alleged gunman, Nabeel Ahmed Issa Jaourah, was enticed by Islamic militants or a terror group to carry out the shooting, said a Jordanian security official, who agreed to discuss the investigation only if not quoted by name.
The official said Jaourah, 38, is from Rusaifa, a village outside Zarqa, the hometown of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed June 7 when a U.S. warplane bombed his hideout in Iraq. Zaqra is an industrial town northeast of Amman that is a hub for extremist Muslims.
Preliminary investigations found no link between known terror groups and Jaourah, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin who worked as a metal welder, the official said. Jaourah is believed to be an observant Muslim who once wore a beard — traditional among some conservative Muslims — but he was clean-shaven when he carried out the assault, the official added.
It was the first major terror attack in Jordan since the triple hotel bombings in the capital last November that killed 63 people, including three suicide bombers.
"This is a cowardly terrorist attack, which we regret took place on Jordanian soil," said Interior Minister Eid al-Fayez. "This operation is considered a terrorist act unless the man is found to be deranged."
The gunman struck just outside the entrance to the popular amphitheater ruins in downtown Amman about 12:30 p.m., said one witness, Mohammad Jawad Ali, an Iraqi.
The attacker shouted "Allahu akbar," or God is great, as he ran past the tourists, firing at them from behind. Then he turned around, facing them, and continued to shoot, the security official said.
He said bystanders, including Iraqi refugees, helped two tourist police capture the assailant, who tried to flee.
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was "extremely saddened" by the shooting. "Acts of violence such as this are as senseless as they are callous," she said in a statement.
The U.S. Embassy said it extended "deepest condolences" to the victims. "We have the utmost confidence in the Jordanian security forces," it added.
The dead man was identified only as a 30-year-old British man. Al-Fayez said the wounded included two British women, a Dutch man, an Australian woman, a woman from New Zealand and a Jordanian tourist police officer.
Health Minister Saeed Darwazeh said the Dutch man underwent surgery to repair his liver. He said the one of the two British women was in intensive care, but did not elaborate on her condition. He said the New Zealander was expected to undergo surgery to remove a bullet.
The rest were in stable condition, he said.
Tourism Minister Munir Nassar said the six tourists arrived in Jordan on Sunday for a five-day sightseeing tour of the kingdom.
He predicted the attack would have little effect on Jordan's tourism industry, calling terrorism a global phenomenon. "The whole world is a victim of terrorism and crime," he said.
The majority of the victims in last November's attacks at hotels were Jordanian Muslim women and children. But there have been attacks on foreigners in Jordan in recent years and authorities say they have foiled a number of other terror plots.
After the November bombings, authorities tightened security around all tourist attractions and hotels, adding more metal detectors and police patrols.
Monday's attack seems to have succeeded because the gunman shot the tourists just outside the amphitheater's entrance — an area frequented by low-income and unemployed Jordanians and Iraqis in a district populated by conservative Muslims.
The amphitheater, built by the Romans in A.D. 169-77, rises out of one of Amman's hillsides. It seats 6,000 people and is used for musical and other performances.
AP
posted by Marko at 9/04/2006 06:15:00 PM
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