GOB statements and Special Media Reaction on

UNCLAS MANAMA 001678

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/PPD; NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PA PREL BA
SUBJECT: GOB statements and Special Media Reaction on
Terrorist Bombings in Jordan


1. Summary: The recent terrorist bombings in Jordan were
overwhelmingly condemned in the Bahraini press, which quoted
Bahraini government officials, led by King Hamad bin Isa Al-
Khalifa, condemning the attacks. Editorials described the
perpetrators as "not human" and highlighted the similarity
between the daily barbaric terrorist bombings in Iraq and
the bombings in Jordan. End summary.


2. King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa condemned the terrorist
attacks against Jordan and the death and injuries of many
innocents. He denounced the criminal actions which
contradict with the teachings and values of humanity and
Islam. At the weekly Cabinet meeting Prime Minister Shaikh
Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa strongly denounced the
bombings as "barbaric" acts against innocent people.


3. Editorial comment closely tracked with the GOB's
statements. Mirza Aman,a columnist often critical of U.S.
foreign policy positions, wrote in the progressive-
government English daily Bahrain Tribune November 14, "the
killers of innocents in Jordanian hotels are not the three
or four suicide bombers who blew themselves up...The killers
are those who brainwashed, trained and sent those suicide
bombers to blow themselves up at those locations. The
killers are those terrorists who are living on Iraqi soil
enjoying shelter, protection and support of many Arabs and
Muslims. The killers are those who are proudly taking
credit for what happened in Amman. Suicide bombers are just
tools used by real killers to carry out their terrorism and
barbarism. Jordanians who told BBC Arabic service that they
understand Zarqawi's goals but disagree with the means he
uses are Zarqawi's acting partners."


4. In a surprising commentary November 13 by Abdul Men'em
Ebrahim, Managing Editor of the Arabic daily (and often anti-
American) Akhbar Al-Khalij, he writes: "The terrorism that
took the life of innocents in Jordan is the same terrorism
that takes the life of innocents in Iraq every day. Because
some kept silent in the face of the barbaric terrorists in
Iraq and some others praised them while others even financed
them secretly, terrorists in the Zarqawi group did not limit
their operations to Iraq, but expanded them to kill the
innocents in Jordanian hotels. Those who killed women,
children and men in Jordan are not the four perpetrators. It
is the culture of sympathy with terrorists and considering
them "Mujahedeen" (freedom fighters) that killed women,
children and men in Jordan. If Arab societies continued to
be religiously fanatic, they will harvest more terrorist
bombings. It is not going to be Jordan alone.those who
bombed Sharm El-Shaikh and called that Jihad are the same
persons who bombed hotels in Jordan and they are coming your
way inevitably.because you invite them to do so every day!"


5. Progressive government-owned Arabic daily Al-Ayam, in a
front page opinion-editorial November 11 writes:
"They are not human. They do not represent Islam or any
other belief or religion. Those who perpetrated the
terrorist bombings in brotherly Jordan and shed blood of
innocent children, women and men have no hearts and do not
belong to Earth. They behead and shred into pieces the
bodies of innocents.all in the name of Islam. In our
mosques.our schools and in our newspapers.we justify their
dirty actions and we call them heroes. How could we hide
our face from the World that views us as killers!! They have
the right to consider us killers because we not only allow
those monsters to live among us but some of us encourage
them and support them financially!"

MONROE