Jordanians commemorate Amman bombings

Jordanians marked the 11th anniversary of the deadly bombings that targeted three hotels in Amman in 2005 with a November 9th ceremony at Martyrs Park, where they affirmed their resolve to stamp out terror groups.

Participants at the ceremony, organised by the Greater Amman Municipality and Khair al-Ordon Foundation, called for greater Arab and Islamic co-operation to defeat extremist groups.

The Amman bombings, claimed by al-Qaeda, killed more than 60 people and injured more than 100, Amman mayor Aqel Biltaji said during the ceremony.

Jordanians will always remember the attacks, he said, adding that this memory motivates them to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against acts that aim to undermine the kingdom's security and stability.

"Jordanians’ unity against terrorist gangs confirms that Jordanians of all orientations rally around their homeland," he said, supporting their government and king and rejecting "the forces of darkness that seek to undermine security".

Supporting terrorism survivors

Ashraf Khalid survived the 2005 bombings, one of which targeted his wedding and left his father and his wife’s parents dead.

Extremist groups must not be allowed to succeed in carrying out their plots, he told Al-Mashareq on the sidelines of the ceremony, adding that Jordanians must remain resolute and united in the face of terrorism .

"All terrorist groups, regardless of the names they go by, seek to destroy humanity and noble principles," he said. "Every year, and at every anniversary, we must remind ourselves of the need to fight terrorist groups militarily and ideologically, especially in view of the surge of terrorism in the region."

Khalid said he is working on launching an Arab network for terrorism survivors, explaining that the network seeks to provide all forms of support to those who have survived acts of terrorism in Arab countries.

Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia and Morocco are among the countries that have expressed willingness to support the initiative, he said, adding that there are plans to contact the Arab League to enlist its support "in designating a day to commemorate the victims of terrorism in Arab countries".

This will demonstrate that the Arab world is unified in confronting terrorism, extremism and violence and its ranks are closed against extremism, he said.

The initiative aims to compile statistics on terrorism victims in the Arab world and conduct studies "centered on raising a generation armed with moderate thinking, using various means and methods", Khalid said.

Remembering victims

Commemorating the anniversary of the Amman bombings serves to renew Jordanians’ resolve and support for the government’s fight against terrorism, said Alaa Shweiki, a pharmacy graduate who took part in the ceremony.

"'We are here today to commemorate the martyrs of the Amman bombings and also the martyred heroic pilot, Moaz al-Kasasbeh," he told Al-Mashareq.

Al-Kasasbeh was burned alive by the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) in Syria's al-Raqa earlier last year in a videotaped incident that triggered international outrage.

"We also are here to commemorate all victims of the terrorist attacks that targeted Jordan," Shweiki said. "Commemorating the anniversary is very important to send the message that we are determined to defeat terrorism."

This includes supporting government and international efforts to fight it, he said, and keeping in mind the "hatred, invalidity and falsehood of terrorist groups and what they advocate, including their attempts to mislead the youth in our region".

Jordan has been targeted by extremist groups before for its active role in fighting terrorism, military expert Fayez al-Dweiri told Al-Mashareq.

"Jordan was among the first countries to join the international coalition to fight ISIL," he said, and has played a key role in taking out the group's leaders.

This makes it imperative for the kingdom to remain in a constant state of alert in order to thwart any effort aimed at undermining its security, he said.