Jordanians hold embassy vigil for London
Sixty Jordanians held a vigil outside the British Embassy in Jordan’s capital, Amman, today to protest at the London terror attacks and express solidarity with the British people.
The one-hour vigil was organised by two Jordanians, Mohammed al-Masri and Faris Breizat, who invited friends and others by email and mobile messages to join the candlelit silent protest.
“We are here to say loudly ‘no’ to terrorism and to tell the world that Arabs and Jordanians are not terrorists and they condemn such acts,” said Nidal Mansoor, head of local non-governmental organisation The Center to Protect Journalists.
British Ambassador Christopher Prentice expressed his gratitude for the Jordanian support and sympathy, saying he was “very touched by this spontaneous gathering.
“We know that who committed these acts claim to act in the name of Islam, we also know the overwhelming majority of Muslims in Britain and all over the world are law abiding people who abhor terrorism every bit as much as we do,” Prentice said.
Al-Masri said he and his friends were saddened by Thursday’s London Underground and bus bombings that killed up to 50 people and bore the hallmarks of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida group.
“Many people suffer from terrorism, many people get killed in wars and we know how it means when civilians are targeted,” al-Masri said.
Jordan is a key US and British ally and voice of moderation in a region plagued by violence.
Islamists like al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musa al-Zarqawi have criticised Jordan for its close ties with the West.
