Jordanians march against terror

Thousands throng downtown Amman for "March of the Nation" against attacks.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
jordan terror 298 88 ap (photo credit: AP)
jordan terror 298 88 ap
(photo credit: AP)
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-Qaida 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, you are a villain!" the throng chanted. The size of the crowd could not be estimated but appeared to be much larger than protests last week in the days right after the bombings. Friday's marchers came from across Jordan in a show of solidarity for the demonstration, organized by the Municipality of Amman. 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. Some brought their families with them. Aya Abu-Ghosh, 9, came with her father and siblings. "I came here to say to terror: Get out of our home. We don't want you. You scare us." Many demonstrators lifted photos of King Abdullah II and carried banners denouncing the attacks in general and al-Zarqawi in particular. "Al-Zarqawi, you are the enemy of God," one read.