Amman Bombs Churned Local Emotions

AMMAN, Jordan, Nov. 16 - By every measure, it would seem that Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, should be roundly vilified in Jordan after having taken responsibility for sending suicide bombers into three hotels here last week, killing 58 people and injuring many others.

But it is not that way - not nearly, according to interviews over the past week with dozens of people throughout this city.

Across the city, there were people who seemed to be reaching for rationales to keep an open mind about Mr. Zarqawi. Over and over people said they simply did not believe Mr. Zarqawi was behind the Amman bombings.

"The whole thing was an act because there were no details," said Muhammad Hady al-Baba, 43, owner of a small grocery store. "None of this will have its toll on the way Zarqawi is perceived because people aren't convinced that he is the one behind it."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/international/middleeast/17jordan.html?hp

No surprise there really. The "down with Zarqawi" marches heavily covered in the western press, quick appearance of the Clintons, and firing of security personnel by the king show that there is plenty of division about this in Jordan.