Jordan suspects al-Qaida behind attack on US ships
Jordan-Regional, Local, 8/23/2005

The Jordanian authorities interrogated scores of Arab citizens suspected to be detained as a result of the missile attacks which targeted two American ships in al-Aqaba port last Friday, and that resulted in killing one soldier and injuring another.

The minister of interior Aouni Yarfas said that investigation continued with persons who were detained by the security forces following the attack which failed to hit the two US warships. He added that the authorities are making progress in the investigation. One Jordanian official said that two among the detainees are important figures for the investigation.

Security sources said that several Iraqis and scores of Egyptians and Jordanians and one Syrian are among the persons arrested in al-Shallala area which overlooks the port. Several Katyusha-type missiles were used from one of the warehouses in the industrial zone. The authorities indicated earlier that Iraqis and Egyptians rented the same store several days before the attack. The investigators explained that the missiles were fired from the same warehouse.

A security source said that electricity wiring was found in the site indicating plans to launch the missiles by remote control.

The source indicated that the authorities received several warnings in recent months to that al-Aqaba port, which is considered a center for sea transport and a base for the American forces in Iraq, is the main target for a nearby attack by al-Qaida organization which Amman suspects as being behind this last attack.

Jordanian security sources said that preliminary investigations indicate that the attackers on the two US warships might have intended to attack other objectives, including the coastal palace of the Jordanian king Abdullah II in al-Aqaba and a complex of hotels visited by the American soldiers during their vacation from fighting missions in Iraq.

The US warned its citizens to be careful and cautious. The US called on the American government employees not to move in Jordan accept at maximum necessity.

The statement recommended the American citizens to keep away from Aqaba which is visited by large number of foreigners during the next coming days. Hundreds of Americans are working in various fields in Jordan.

A group calling itself Abdullah Azzam which belongs to al-Qaida organization in Mesopotamia (Iraq) and al-Kinana lands ( Egypt) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement on the Internet.

Previous Stories:
  Apparent rocket attack on U.S. warship in Jordan unsuccessful   (8/20/2005)
  Jordan - Iraq borders blocked temporarily   (7/12/2005)
  Abdullah described what is taking place in the region of positive change   (5/21/2005)

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