Jordan marks today 18th anniversary of Amman bombings

AMMAN — Jordan today marks the anniversary of the Amman bombings, which targeted three different hotels in the capital.

Jordanians commemorate this day and steadfastly adhere to the principles laid out in the Amman message initiated by His Majesty King Abdullah. This message advocates for honourable values, peace, embracing others and steadfastly opposing terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations.

A group of extremists perpetrated the terrorist attacks, targetting three locations in Amman on November 9, 2005, killing 60 people and injuring 200.

Using explosive belts, the terrorists bombed three hotels: The hotel formerly known as the Radisson SAS Hotel at 9:30 pm followed by two other suicide bombings a few minutes later at the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Days Inn.

Safa Mohammad Ali, Rawad Jassem and Ali Hussein Rishawi were identified as the bombers.

A fourth, Sajida Rishawi, was planning to detonate her belt alongside her husband Ali Hussein at the Radisson SAS, but her explosive belt failed to go off.

She was tried and sentenced to death for possessing explosives with illicit intent and plotting subversive acts that led to the deaths of individuals. Rishawi was executed in 2015.

Six others, who were tried in absentia on the same charges, were also sentenced to death.

They include Mazen Mohammad Shehadeh, a Jordanian, and Iraqi nationals Othman Ismail Dalimi, Hiam Hassan and her brother Walid, Nihad Rishawi and Karim Jassim Fahdawi.