Queen Rania: Jordanians Are Determined After Bombings

Nov. 11, 2005 — -- Jordan's Queen Rania says she woke up with a heavy heart two days after a string of deadly hotel bombings killed at least 60 people in her country. She says she also woke up determined.

"I also woke up with a sense of determination and strength, just knowing that there is such a feeling of unity in Jordan," Queen Rania said today in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America."

"There's such a clear vision for us and that we know where we're going."

A Web site operated by Al Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has claimed responsibility for Wednesday's suicide bombings at three hotels in the Jordanian capital of Amman. The site said one woman and three men, all Iraqi, carried out the bombings.

"It (Iraq) is unstable and unfortunately when you have a situation like this, there is a lot of anger, frustration, which people like Zarqawi's people can use as fuel for their own ideology in order to spread it," said the queen. "Plus the fact that there's no security on the ground there means that it is an open field for them to recruit and carry out their activities."

U.S. officials acknowledge that the attacks in Amman are clear evidence al-Zarqawi is making good on his promise to export terror beyond Iraq's borders.

Al-Zarqawi was born in Jordan, but Queen Rania said the attacks have nothing to do with nationality.

"I think when it comes to this kind of individual, I don't think nationality means anything, I think it's more of an ideology," Queen Rania said. "Who is this man that would not just target his own country, but would take such innocent lives and justify it?"

Queen Rania's husband, King Abdullah, publicly opposed the Iraq war, but quietly allowed troops to operate on Jordanian soil for "defensive purposes."

"I think it is time for us to stop talking about, you know, passing the blame on what's happening in Iraq, but try to focus on the future," she said. "What happened is just completely senseless and trying to bring any explanation or justification would only be giving it credence, and we should never do that."

Queen Rania is of Palestinian descent; she and her family were West Bank refugees living in Kuwait until the Iraqi invasion of 1991 when she fled to Jordan.

She and the king have four children together: Prince Hussein, 11, Princess Iman, 9, Princess Salma, 5, and Prince Hashem, 10 months.

"I said to them that it is just so unfortunate that this should happen to our extended Jordanian family," Queen Rania said she told her children about the bombings. I said "we have to be careful and these people who do these kind of acts, it is absolutely wrong. Every Jordanian feels today that he is a public security officer. We all know we have a role to play in defeating these kind of people."