Lefty Wilbury
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- Nov 4, 2003
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http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-me/2004/apr/29/042905548.html
Jordan's Queen Joins Thousands in Protest
By FADI KHALIL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -
Jordan's Queen Rania joined thousands of Jordanians in a mass street protest Thursday against a failed plot by an al-Qaida-linked terror cell to launch attacks in the capital, Amman, that officials say would have killed tens of thousands.
The queen, wearing a white and orange shirt and blue jeans, held hands with students during the 2-mile march that ended at the parliament building where protesters burned pictures of al-Qaida founder Osama bin-Laden.
The protest was the largest in recent history and attracted tribal leaders, businessmen, political activists, Muslim and Christian clerics and students from across the kingdom.
Conservative estimates put the crowd figure at 20,000, while Rania's office said 80,000 people joined the march. The official Petra news agency said 250,000 protesters turned out.
It followed Monday's airing on state TV of a 20-minute video carrying confessions of suspected terrorists who said they were plotting al-Qaida's first chemical bomb attack in Amman against Jordan's secret service building. Other bombing targets included the U.S. Embassy and the prime minister's office.
The tape caused widespread fear throughout Jordan, a moderate Arab nation that is closely allied to the United States, holds a peace treaty with Israel, has a large Palestinian population and enjoys relative stability in the volatile Middle East.
"No for terrorists in Jordan," protesters chanted to the beating of drums.
The queen released a statement saying: "I believe the silent majority has started to speak out against terrorism in a first-of-its-kind demonstration in the Arab and Muslim world on this scale."
When the demonstrators reached parliament, they burned pictures of bin Laden, his alleged Jordanian associate Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the foiled plot, Azmi al-Jayousi, and his accomplices.
Jordan's Queen Joins Thousands in Protest
By FADI KHALIL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -
Jordan's Queen Rania joined thousands of Jordanians in a mass street protest Thursday against a failed plot by an al-Qaida-linked terror cell to launch attacks in the capital, Amman, that officials say would have killed tens of thousands.
The queen, wearing a white and orange shirt and blue jeans, held hands with students during the 2-mile march that ended at the parliament building where protesters burned pictures of al-Qaida founder Osama bin-Laden.
The protest was the largest in recent history and attracted tribal leaders, businessmen, political activists, Muslim and Christian clerics and students from across the kingdom.
Conservative estimates put the crowd figure at 20,000, while Rania's office said 80,000 people joined the march. The official Petra news agency said 250,000 protesters turned out.
It followed Monday's airing on state TV of a 20-minute video carrying confessions of suspected terrorists who said they were plotting al-Qaida's first chemical bomb attack in Amman against Jordan's secret service building. Other bombing targets included the U.S. Embassy and the prime minister's office.
The tape caused widespread fear throughout Jordan, a moderate Arab nation that is closely allied to the United States, holds a peace treaty with Israel, has a large Palestinian population and enjoys relative stability in the volatile Middle East.
"No for terrorists in Jordan," protesters chanted to the beating of drums.
The queen released a statement saying: "I believe the silent majority has started to speak out against terrorism in a first-of-its-kind demonstration in the Arab and Muslim world on this scale."
When the demonstrators reached parliament, they burned pictures of bin Laden, his alleged Jordanian associate Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of the foiled plot, Azmi al-Jayousi, and his accomplices.
