Jordan: The three hotels targeted in last night's bomb attacks are frequented by American and European businessmen and diplomats.
"The attacks carry the trademark of al-Qaeda," said the official. "We are investigating." Israeli embassy spokesman Jacob Raber said there were no immediate reports of Israeli casualties. The three hotels have security guards hired from a private Jordanian firm stationed in the reception areas. Each of the hotels has one or two police cars guarding the buildings around the clock. The blast ripped through the Radisson during a wedding party with at least 300 guests.
The city's main luxury hotels downtown are often full of US and British officials and contractors enjoying the relative quiet of Amman before heading in or out of Iraq.
The hotels also have become a gathering spot for the affluent Iraqis who have fled their country's violence and congregated here. Amman has changed somewhat in recent months because of the boom caused by money from affluent Iraqis.
Jordan, a key ally of the US, had largely escaped the terror attacks that have hit other parts of the Middle East, and its sleepy capital, Amman, is viewed as a haven of stability in the region.
But Jordan has not been entirely immune: on August 19th, militants fired three Katyusha rockets at a navy ship docked at the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, narrowly missing it and killing a Jordanian soldier.
Jordan has arrested scores of Islamic militants for plotting to carry out attacks in the moderate Arab kingdom. It has also sentenced numerous militants to death in absentia, including the Jordanian-born leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Last night UN secretary general Kofi Annan cancelled plans to travel to Amman.
"In light of current events he put off a trip to Jordan," UN spokesman Farhan Haq said in New York.
In a statement, Mr Annan strongly condemned the "terrorist bombings" in Amman and sent his condolences to the families of the victims and the people and government of Jordan.
He expressed hope the attacks would spur the UN general assembly to complete work "as soon as possible" on a long-stalled comprehensive UN treaty against terrorism being drafted in New York.
The draft - "comprehensive convention on international terrorism" - aims to give nations new tools and a strong legal framework to fight terrorism collectively, but has been stuck in the UN committee since India first proposed it in 1996. - (Reuters, AP)