Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05AMMAN8957
2005-11-17 12:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

OUTRAGED JORDANIANS RALLY AROUND KING AFTER HOTEL

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER JO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 008957 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER JO
SUBJECT: OUTRAGED JORDANIANS RALLY AROUND KING AFTER HOTEL
BOMBINGS; NEW ANTI-TERROR MEASURES ANNOUNCED

REF: A. AMMAN 8845 (NOTAL)

B. AMMAN 8835

C. AMMAN 8829

Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

-------
SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 008957

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER JO
SUBJECT: OUTRAGED JORDANIANS RALLY AROUND KING AFTER HOTEL
BOMBINGS; NEW ANTI-TERROR MEASURES ANNOUNCED

REF: A. AMMAN 8845 (NOTAL)

B. AMMAN 8835

C. AMMAN 8829

Classified By: Ambassador David Hale for Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) The November 9 hotel bombings have sparked national
outrage. Thousands of Jordanians have demonstrated
peacefully around the country and pledged their support for
King Abdullah. Polling data shows an abrupt decline in
support for al-Qaeda, with a large majority (87%) now
describing it as a "terrorist organization." A few voices,
however, still attempt to shift responsibility for terrorism
to the U.S. or Israel. The GOJ has announced new regulations
aimed against foreign militants. It also intends to draft
new legislation that would prohibit the promotion or
justification of terrorist acts. END SUMMARY.

--------------
POPULAR OUTCRY
--------------


2. (C) Jordan is united in a mood of defiance after the
November 9 terrorist bombings, with a determination to fight
back and resume normal lives. Outraged Jordanians have
universally condemned the attacks against three Amman hotels
(refs A-C). Anger over the bombings spans the entire
political spectrum, and includes groups such as the Muslim
Brotherhood and Islamist-led opposition parties that are
critical of Jordan's close relationship with the U.S. (ref
C). Post contacts ranging from senior government officials
to working-class Jordanians have described the attacks as
"senseless," "cowardly," and "a sin against Islam." Many
also expressed relief that none of the bombers were
Jordanian. Initial statements by Islamist-leaning MPs Khalil
Ateyeh (West Banker, Amman) and Abdullah al-Akayleh (East
Banker, Tafliah) that such bombings were acceptable against
"occupiers," but not against Jordanians, were quickly
silenced by the popular mood.


3. (C) Public anger over the bombings has translated into a
surge of patriotism and support for the monarch. Rallying
around their King, thousands of Jordanians have demonstrated
peacefully around the country against the attacks. Along
with placards calling for "Death to Zarqawi!", many

demonstrators carried pictures of King Abdullah and pledged
their support for Jordan's security forces. Many of these
events were arranged by the government, but many others were
reportedly spontaneous in nature or organized by traditional
opposition groups, such as the Islamist-dominated
professional associations. The enthusiasm and sustained
nature of the demonstrations could not have resulted from GID
choreography. Countless Jordanians have affixed flags and
others symbols of the country to their homes and cars. In a
special session of parliament on November 12, lower house
Speaker Abdul Hadi Majali declared that "the attacks have
enhanced the Jordanian people's unity and steadfastness
behind their Hashemite leadership." A few liberal contacts
have privately expressed concern that the surge of
nationalism will lead society and government to become less
tolerant of dissent, but for now these concerns are absent
from the media.

--------------
A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE?
--------------


4. (C) The hotel bombings may signal a turning point in the
Jordanian public's attitude toward al-Qaeda and the Iraqi
insurgency. According to post contacts and press editorials,
the killing of innocent Muslims in the blasts, especially the
carnage wrecked on the Da'as-Alami wedding at the Radisson,
was an eye-opener for the mainly poor and intensely religious
Jordanians who had condoned al-Qaeda terrorist operations in
Iraq and elsewhere. For example, Dr. Dureid Mahashneh -
businessman, lecturer, and negotiator for the Jordan-Israel
peace treaty - told polcouns that many Jordanians who once
sympathized with the so-called resistance in Iraq might now
re-assess their views. He doubted, however, that there would
be any change of opinion among Jordanians who see suicide
attacks against Israelis as justifiable. Deputy Speaker of
the Chamber of Deputies Mamdouh Abbadi (East Banker - Amman)
told reporters that the number of al-Qaeda sympathizers in
Jordan "went down, down, and down some more" after the
November 9 bombings. Similarly, columnist and political
analyst Jamil Nimri said that support for al-Qaeda in Jordan
"is going to dwindle tremendously."


5. (U) In a new survey published by independent Arabic daily
al-Ghad on November 16, 87.1% of the 1,014 adult respondents
- chosen to be demographically representative of the country
- said they believed that al-Qaeda was a "terrorist
organization," compared to 7.4% who held the opposite view.
Roughly 78% and 13% of respondents had, respectively, a "very
negative" or "somewhat negative" opinion of al-Qaeda, while
5.4% had a "very" or "somewhat" positive opinion.
Approximately 64% said their views on al-Qaeda had changed
for the worse after the November 9 bombings; 65% responded
that the bombings would not negatively impact public life in
Jordan.


6. (U) Dr. Musa Shtui, sociology professor and director of
the Jordanian Center for Social Studies, told al-Ghad that
the public's view of al-Qaeda had shifted "radically"
following the November 9 attacks. Past opinion polling in
Jordan had shown strong support for al-Qaeda because of its
defiance of deeply unpopular American and Israeli policies in
the region. According to Shtui, the hotel bombings, however,
had forced Jordanians to see first-hand the "criminal nature"
of the organization and had exposed its underlying ideology.


7. (SBU) Not everyone in Jordan has blamed Islamic
extremists for the attacks. A few fringe Jordanians, seizing
on a Ha'aretz report (subsequently withdrawn) that Israelis
were evacuated from the Days Inn before/before the blasts,
choose to see the Mossad's hands in the bombings. Member of
parliament Neriman al-Rusan (East Banker, Irbid) told Al
Jazeera that the Amman bombings - as well as the September 11
attacks in the U.S. - were "Israeli crimes carried out by the
Mossad." Jordan Bar Association President Saleh Armouti also
indirectly blamed on Israel, stating that "the only one
profiting from these (terrorist) actions is the Zionist
enemy." Columnist Fakhri Kawar in Arabic daily al-Rai wrote
that "what al-Qaeda is doing in terms of violent actions
against innocent people ... confirms the fact that there are
secret liaisons between the leadership of al-Qaeda and the

SIPDIS
leadership of the Mossad."

--------------
STILL WARY OF U.S.
--------------


8. (SBU) While some contacts believe the current surge in
public support for the regime may make it easier for the GOJ
to defend its cooperation with the U.S. in fighting terror,
several analysts note that the outcry against the Amman
bombings does not signal a shift in support for the U.S. MP
Abbadi told the press, "There is no relation between people's
feelings about U.S. policies in the region and their
rejection of terrorism; the latter will not affect the
former."


9. (SBU) A few voices are also trying to connect the attacks
with U.S. positions on Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict. Arabic weekly al-Sabeel, which reflects the views
of the Muslim Brotherhood, denounced the hotel attacks but at
the same time urged that "resistance to the American
onslaught against our nation should continue. This onslaught
is the objective reason for what happened." Columnist Yaser
Za'atreh in Arabic daily al-Dustour similarly wrote that
although "blind violence" must be condemned, actions of "the
legitimate resistance (to occupation) are required and must
be praised." These views, however, have been strongly
refuted by the GOJ and other opinion leaders. Former
Minister of Information Saleh Qallab wrote in al-Ghad, for
example, that "holding the American occupation in Iraq
responsible for the crime against the hotels ... would be as
good as justifying what happened, conspiring with the
terrorists who perpetrated this heinous crime, and
eliminating condemnation (against them)."

--------------
ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES
--------------


10. (U) Interior Minister Awni Yarvas announced on November
15 that the GOJ was issuing new regulations aimed at
preventing foreign militants from operating within Jordan.
These include a requirement that all Jordanians who rent
property or "give refuge" to any foreigner provide police
with the names, nationalities, and passport numbers of the
foreign nationals, along with the purpose and duration of
their stay in Jordan. Yarvas also stated that the GOJ would
draft tough new legislation to combat terrorism that would
prohibit individuals or organizations from "promoting takfiri
ideology" or "attempting to justify" terrorist acts in any
country. The King told Ambassador that all penalties would
be financial; he would not tolerate prison sentences except
in cases of witting assistance for terrorism.


11. (C) The Islamist-dominated opposition parties have
already expressed concern over the proposed new anti-terror
law, stating publicly that there are presently enough
security laws on the books. Some post contacts are also wary
of the possible misuse of such legislation. Dr. Muhammed
Kheir Mustafa, political analyst and professor of political
science, expressed his fear to polcouns that the security
services might accuse those attempting to analyze political
violence of justifying terrorism under the proposed law. He
further expressed his view that the palace had "hijacked"
Jordanian anger over the bombings and turned it into a
"festival" of "a cult of the King's personality."
--------------
WHAT NEXT?
--------------


12. (C) While Jordanian unity in the wake of November 9 has
been remarkable, several post contacts expressed concern over
the prospect of a sustained campaign of attacks, and the
effect on the country's stability and morale. Several also
expressed concern at the economic fallout (septel). In
post's view, Jordan is experiencing a moment of national
unity, and support for the King, that is unprecedented since
King Abdullah's accession in 1999.
HALE