AMMAN, Jordan (Agencies): Thousands of flag-waving Jordanians thronged downtown Amman on Friday in the “March of the Nation,” a noisy, emphatic demonstration against the deadly terror attacks that struck the kingdom last week. “Al-Zarqawi, you coward, what brought you here,? shouted the angry crowd in reference to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the al-Qaeda in Iraq terror group that claimed the Nov 9 triple hotel bombings.
The three suicide bombers killed 59 people in their attacks on hotels in the capital and shocked Jordanians who had prided their country as a safe haven amid the violence of the region. “Cease, cease, al-Zarqawi, you are a villain!” the throng chanted. “Cease, Cease, you terrorist, you are a coward!”
Jordanian television reported that 100,000 people took part in the march, however that estimate could not be independently matched. The size of the crowd appeared to be much larger than protests last week in the days immediately after the bombings. Friday’s marchers came from across Jordan in a show of solidarity in the demonstration organised by the municipality of Amman. “I came specifically to say to those terrorists and al-Zarqawi that we are all united against them. We do not want them on our land,” said Ghazi al-Hajjaj, 43, who journeyed from Tafila, 183km south of Amman, to attend the rally. Palestinians from Jordan’s 13 refugee camps also took part in the protest. The crowd of mostly men, many wearing Jordan’s distinct red-checkered keffiyeh around their necks, marched from the downtown Al Husseini mosque following Friday prayers. Soldiers stood watch along the streets as the marchers passed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment