In accord with At-Tawba 9:111, the Qur'an's verse that promises Paradise to those who "slay and are slain" for Allah, A-Q has declared in a statement that the bombers in Jordan have chosen the "shortest route to receive the blessings of God." This idea, rooted as it is in Islamic theology and tradition, is what the protestors in Jordan will have to combat if they really want to make sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again.
"Group: Four Iraqis Carried Out Bombings," from AP:
AMMAN, Jordan - Police said Friday they had arrested 120 people, mainly Iraqis and Jordanians, in the nationwide manhunt for those behind the triple Amman hotel bombings. Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed the bombings were carried out by four Iraqis — including a husband and wife team....Jordanian authorities have not yet said with certainty that Iraqis were involved in Wednesday's attack, Jordan's deadliest ever, but speculation has been high that al-Zarqawi has been trying to spread his terror group's influence outside of Iraq.
"All of these are Iraqis from the land between the two rivers," the al-Qaida statement said, alluding to Iraq's ancient name, Mesopotamia. "They vowed to die and they chose the shortest route to receive the blessings of God."
The statement, signed in the name of the group's spokesman, Abu Maysara al-Iraqi, claimed the four Iraqi bombers included a husband and wife "who chose to accompany her husband to his martyrdom."...
"Al-Zarqawi you are a coward, Amman will remain safe," chanted some 3,000 protesters winding through Amman past the city's al-Husseini Mosque after midday prayers.
Now if only the ideology would choose the "shortest route to receive the blessings of God."
Perhaps the Jordanian outcry, if loud and long enough, will help turn the tide.
XRDC;
Wrong, but I sympathize with your wish. The only reason Jordanians are pissed is because they feel betrayed, having had their own greased by fellow muslims, lead by the Jordanian-born Zarqawi.
Zarqawi has been killing 100s of Iraqi muslims a month for quite some time, I can't recall 3000 Jordanians protesting that.
It seem you do not hear the moderate Muslim clerics coming out against this, and asking for reforms in the Koran. How can they be moderate with that crazed creed in allowing the murder of innoncent people... wake up Muslims... if you want exist in the future, you need to reform, or risk destruction.
t-ham:
True but it sounds to me like they want Zar-cowards head on a platter. Whether good motives or bad, that's a start.
(McVeigh was American-born and he is no more.)
When a Jordanian kid blew up a bunch of Iraqis this year, all you heard were the usual excuses.
Here's some bitter irony....
SILET AL-THAHER, West Bank - In this Palestinian village, the Akhras clan mourned 17 relatives killed by a suicide bomber in Jordan — the first time Palestinians have been a target in a suicide attack.
“Oh my God, oh my God. Is it possible that Arabs are killing Arabs, Muslims killing Muslims?” asked a weeping Najah Akhras, 35, who lost two nieces.
Similar thoughts were heard over and over in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Thursday, as Palestinians expressed outrage over suicide attacks aimed at civilians.
From the Egyptian Monkey's blogsite:
"Al Qaeda was so preplexed by the reaction, that for the first time ever, they issued an explanation:
"Earlier Thursday, the group posted a Web statement claiming responsibility for Wednesday's attacks. Then a second al-Qaida statement appeared on the Internet 'to explain for Muslims part of the reason holy warriors targeted these dens.' That statement appeared after Arab-wide expressions of outrage.
"This should be good.
"'Let all know that we have struck only after becoming confident that they are centers for launching war on Islam and support the crusaders' presence in Iraq and the Arab peninsula and the presence of the Jews on the land of Palestine,' the group said.
"The statement said the hotels that were hit were 'favorite places for the work of the intelligence organs, especially those of the Americans, the Israelis and some western European countries' for what the group called 'invisible battles in the so-called war on terrorism.'
"Ahh, ok. So the war on terrorism was being conducted from the Radisson. Who knew?
"The statement also said the hotels, the Grand Hyatt, the Radisson SAS and the Days Inn, were used by NATO as a rear base 'from which the convoys of the crusaders and the renegades head back and forth to the land of Iraq where Muslims are killed and their blood is shed.'
"Ehh....emm... BY YOU YOU NIMRODS. YOU ARE THE ONES KLILLING MUSLIMS YOU GODDAMN MORONS. So far you have killed like 25 times more muslims there then you've had americans. You did that. You. Ehh..nevermind.
"And now for some moral hand-wringing...
"Striking a moral tone, the al-Qaida manifesto said the hotels were a 'secure place for the filthy Israeli and Western tourists to spread corruption and adultery at the expense and suffering of the Muslims in these countries.'
"At the expense and suffering? Aren't the tourists the ones who are bringing the money in? And who is suffering exactly from the existance of the hotels? I know who will be that those Hotels are destroyed: the employees in the hotel, the workers in Jordan touristic industry establishments, you know, those muslims. Or aren't those muslims? I am so confused.
"And now for the sweet farewell note:
"Warning that Wednesday's attacks would pale by comparison, the statement promised 'catastrophic' assaults in the future.
"'Let everyone know that we will never hesitate in targeting these places wherever they are... . By God, we have never noticed them caring when they shed the blood of Muslims and rape the honor of the decent women,' the statement said."
"So we will kill them. Because they don''t care about our problems, those damn westerners and their insensetive minding of their own business. Because they don't care, we will destroy their hotels and kill them on their vacations. Then they will care. Oh yes they will. They will care enough to demand that we get hunted down like dogs and killed by any means necessary. That may not be what's in our best interest, but at least they will care again. They will have feelings for us.
"Is it just me or is Al Qaeda starting to sound like that crazy ex-girlfriend who will kidnap you and torture you so you can love her again?
Not sure where I read it this morning, but there are already rumours circulating in Jordan that Israelis were evacuated from the hotel a few hours before the bombing.
WD;
re the Isreali evac, I read that almost immediately when reports of the bombs went out. I check a number of sites; al-jeez,BBC,CNN, timesonline, hell, theres probably a dozen more I check through links. Can't remember where I heard it first but it was right there in the initial reports.
By God, we have never noticed them caring when they shed the blood of Muslims and rape the honor of the decent women,' the statement said."
I would like to see proof of this "rape" of their women. I do not believe that our military rapes their women. Projection maybe?
Re "They vowed to die and they chose the shortest route to receive the blessings of God"
Poor Mother Theresa! She took such a long, arduous route to receive the blessings of God.
Do does this mean we can take the shortest route when dealing with them and bypass due process, incarceration, and hearings, like all the bleeding hearts want? Sounds like these guys want to 'cut to the chase' so doesn't that mean we just administer justice instantaneously? This also seems to be a Muslim friendly approach, since we'd be giving them the "high thee thither" straight to their Allah in "Paradise".... Good exchange!
How often one has heard, after a suicide bomber has been identified by name, from neighbors and friends that he was such a good boy who loved his religion and faithfully studied the Koran, who took its beautiful message of Islam as a total way of life to heart, and who was known as a good Muslim. Truly such a good Muslim, who has rigorously studied his Koran would learn of the shortest path to Allah.
Ah, if Christianity (or other religions) had such a shortcut to God, then Mother Teresa would not have needed to dedicate her life to tending to the poor and sick. Mother Teresa lived and breathed Christianity, she found a total way of life in Christianity, she epitomized the very quintessence of Christianity itself. Under Christian doctrine her life is the shortest way to God. [I highlight "Under Christian doctrine" not to proselytize or evangelize but to merely state a tenet of Christian belief, nor to derogate the ultimate expresion of faith of other religions, practices and beliefs that hold in common the goodness and equality of all of mankind.]
In all the great beliefs, the ultimate expression of faith, to find one's faith as a total way of life is hard, very hard indeed. Suicide in any context is a cop-out, the short cut to end all, the ultimate act of despair when there is nothing more for which to live. Is it this despair, that there is nothing in this life for which to live, that Islam teaches to its most adherent of followers?
It is also notable that Muhammad considered suicide several times during his life, and also discovered that some of the "revealed words of God" he received were actually the words of Satan -- these are the "Satanic Verses..." every one has heard about...
Interesting that Muhammad appears to be the only founder of a "world religion" who considered suicide, murdered, thieved, raped, molested, conducted genocide, and mistook Satan for God ---
This makes him unique in the history of World Religious Figures, and makes his concoction of Islam uniqute among World Religions...
"They vowed to die and they chose the shortest route to receive the blessings of God."
Now their soul is saying "OOop! Shit! why we are in Hell?"
Hey folks, I see no evidence of an outrage and outcry by the Jordanians much less any other Arab Muslims.
Look at the size of that turnout above. a Mere 3,000 and probably all government workers in Ammam.
That's the way they do it in the third world, especially Muslim countries, whenever the government wants a demonstration that order government workers to turn out.
If it was a real demonstration,like against the Jews or crusaders, there would be over 100,000, and Imams would be exhorting turnout in Mosques.
Today is Friday, let's see what happens after Friday Prayers and exhortations by Imams.
Nothing I predict.