Terror fears in Jordan
Photo: Dudu Bachar
Al-Qaeda plans to abduct Israelis
Arab intelligence official warns Jordan visitors to shorten their trips; President Katsav in Italy: Al-Qaeda cells have infiltrated Gaza
Danger in Jordan: Senior al-Qaeda member Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is planning to abduct and murder Israeli nationals in Jordan, according to intelligence information revealed following the terror attacks on three Amman hotels.
According to the information, Zarqawi's initial plan was to kidnap Israeli diplomats in Amman, but he gave up on the plan due to the tight security arrangements around them.
A senior Arab intelligence official has warned Israeli businesspeople and tourists to be very cautious during their planned visits to Jordan.
"Don’t prolong your stay, don’t go to public places and don’t publicize the date of your trip and the place where you plan to stay," he said.
Iraqi secret agents
The new intelligence information reveals that Zarqawi offered his services to Syria and Iran's intelligence organizations. His plan is to abduct foreign citizens and tourists and to murder them in order to destabilize Jordan and cause investors, businesspeople and tourists to stay away from the country.
"Zarqawi has already begun following foreign visitors to Jordan in order to kidnap and murder them, exactly as he is doing in Iraq," the Arab intelligence official said.
In light of the troubling information, tight security measures have been implemented in all hotels, large department stores and restaurants throughout Amman.
There are approximately half a million refugees and Iraqi residents staying in Jordan, and the Jordanian information has warned that some of them may be serving as Zarqawi's secret agents.
Meanwhile, President Moshe Katsav met with Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on Tuesday. In the meeting, Katsav said that "The world is praising Israel for the disengagement, but now al-Qaeda cells and more sophisticated weapons have infiltrated Gaza."
President Ciampi also expressed his concerns over terror and called on the Palestinian Authority to eradicate it.
Yossi Bar contributed to the report
