US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1678

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