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November 9, 2005
Jordan: Three Hotel Bombings in Amman - Several Dead
Earlier this evening, a series of bomb blasts happened in Jordan's capital, Amman, according to Sky News, Bloomberg and Reuters. Though the news is still breaking, the death toll is high. Bloomberg states 18 known dead, Reuters 23, while Sky says there may be scores dead.
The blasts happened at three luxury hotels, the Radisson SAS, the Grand Hyatt and the Days Inn hotel. Jordan's interior minister, Awni Yarfas, confirmed that the explosions had been caused by bombs.
At the Radisson, an explosion hit a banqueting room where 250 people wee attending a wedding reception. Apparently a bomb had been placed in a false ceiling, according to Reuters, who were told this by a police source. The hotel was structurally intact, but ceilings had collapsed.
The Hyett hotel, popular with Israelis, had been hit by a bomb in the lobby.
The first bomb struck at 8.50 local time at the Hyett. An Associated Press reporter saw at least seven bodies being removed, and many injured on stretchers.
We will be updating this story as news arrives. UPDATE: As promised - the sad news is that 57 people have died, and 110 people have been injured, according to Reuters. The figures for deaths, which were announced by the Jordanian cabinet, will probably increase as those more seriously wounded succumb to their injuries. The bombs were caused by suicide-attackers.
As well as the wedding festivities taking place at the Radisson SAS at the time of the blast, a reception was also being held at the Hyett. No-one has claimed responsibility at present, but it is suspected Al Qaeda, and probably its Iraqi leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi are responsible. The bombs were synchronised, a trademark of al Qaeda bombings. Al-Zarqawi grew up in the slums on the outskirts of Amman.
Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the UN, has cancelled a trip to Amman which was planned for Thursday.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 9, 2005 4:49 PM
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