Jordan extremist praises bombing

Associated Press

AMMAN, Jordan

The head of an extremist Jordanian Muslim Salafi group said early today that he was “happy to see the horror in America” after the explosions in Boston.

“American blood isn’t more precious than Muslim blood,” said Mohammad al-Chalabi, who was convicted in an al-Qaida-linked plot to attack U.S. and other Western diplomatic missions in Jordan in 2003.

“Let the Americans feel the pain we endured by their armies occupying Iraq and Afghanistan and killing our people there,” he said early today.

Al-Chalabi served seven years in prison for his part in the foiled attack. His group is outlawed in Jordan.

A Mideast counterterrorism official based in Jordan said the blasts “carry the hallmark of an organized terrorist group, like al-Qaida.” He did not give actual evidence linking al-Qaida to the bombing.

“From the little information available, one can say it was a well-coordinated, well-targeted and near- simultaneous attack,” he said. “Luckily, the amount of explosives used is small, judging from the casualty figure and explosion area.”

A Jordanian security official said security was beefed up around the U.S. Embassy in Amman after the bombing in Boston.

Both officials insisted on anonymity, as they were not authorized to brief reporters on security matters.