JORDAN: FUNERAL TAKES PLACE FOR FIRST VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN NEIGHBOURING IRAQ

Record ID: 184564

  • Title: JORDAN: FUNERAL TAKES PLACE FOR FIRST VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN NEIGHBOURING IRAQ
  • Date: 31st March 2003
  • Summary: (W7) HAKAMAH, JORDAN (MARCH 27, 2003) (REUTERS) SCU YOUNG BOY CHANTING ANTI-U.S. SLOGANS OUTSIDE MOSQUE; SLV CROWD AT FUNERAL FOR SUFIAN BATAINEH, 21, KILLED IN U.S. MISSILE STRIKE ON HIGHWAY BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND AMMAN (4 SHOTS) MV BATAINEH'S COFFIN COMING OUT OF MOSQUE, MOURNER HOLDING PICTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN NEAR COFFIN; MV MOURNERS CARRYING COFFIN THROUGH STREET (2 SHOTS) SLVYOUNG MEN ON ROOFTOP HOLDING PICTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN; SLV CHILDREN ON VEHICLE SHOUTING ANTI-U.S. SLOGANS, HOLDING UP FISTS; MV MOURNERS WALKING THROUGH STREET WITH COFFIN (4 SHOTS) MV WOMEN MOURNING AT BATAINEH FAMILY HOME (4 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FAYEZ BATAINEH, SUFIAN'S FATHER AND RETIRED JORDANIAN ARMY OFFICER, SPEAKING AT HIS HOME: "Bush is a terrorist, a war criminal, he's taken my eldest son away," he declared. "(Iraqi President) Saddam (Hussein) is not a terrorist, he is a fighter, a brave man" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IMAN BATAINEH, SUFIAN'S MOTHER, SPEAKING AT THEIR HOME "I call upon all American mothers to bring their sons back from the war. Do the Americans think their sons will be safe in Iraq? The mothers should ask their sons to reject (U.S. President George W.) Bush's orders to fight and return home." MV MOURNERS OUTSIDE BATAINEH HOME (W7) AMMAN, JORDAN (MARCH 27, 2003) (REUTERS) SLV ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATION AT JORDAN UNIVERSITY; MV DEMONSTRATORS CARRYING PLACARDS CONDEMNING THE U.S. AND THE WAR ON IRAQ (9 SHOTS) SLV MAIN GATE OF JORDAN UNIVERSITY; MV GIRLS TALKING INSIDE CAMPUS (2 SHOTS) SLV DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNERS AND JORDANIAN FLAGS; SLV POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE UNIVERSITY GATES; SLV STUDENTS WALKING ON CAMPUS (5 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALI ABU-SHAKRA, STUDENT AT JORDAN UNIVERSITY, SPEAKING AFTER DEMONSTRATION "They killed our families, they killed our children, they destroyed us. They want to control us, and despite all of this, they wont be able to completely control us. It is true that we are unarmed, but we still have hearts that move and always will. Now they have gone out (the demonstrators), tomorrow I will (demonstrate), and the day after someone else will. We will all go out (on Demostrations). "The time is coming, not right now maybe, not even in a day or two but America will collapse as a result of our actions" SLV UNIVERSITY GATE; SLV STUDENTS WALKING OUT OF UNIVERSITY (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) SUZY, STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY SAYING "It's inhumane, if they want the man (Saddam Hussein) they should go and get him, they should not kill inocent people and children and women. It's inhumane" SV CAMPUS SECURITY GUARD AT ENTRANCE
  • Embargoed: 15th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HAKAMAH AND AMMAN, JORDAN
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: Conflict,General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA672L9RPGS3X41PR7C3M28DANT
  • Story Text: Jordan has buried the first Jordanian victims of the war in neighbouring Iraq. Jordanians carried pictures of Saddam Hussein and chanted anti-American slogans as the mood in Arab "street", even in traditionally moderate Jordan, swings further against the U.S.
    The funeral of a Jordanian student killed in Iraq by a U.S.
    missile turned into a passionate show of support for Iraq on Thursday (March 27, 2003) as mourners turned up at the funeral with pictures of Saddam Hussein.
    About 1,000 angry mourners marched through the narrow streets and alleys of Hakamah, a small town north of the capital Amman, chanting: "We will sacrifice our souls and blood for you, Saddam" and "Despicable Bush, we will crush you with our boots." Sufian Bataineh, 21, a student at Mosul university in northern Iraq, and three other Jordanian students were killed last Friday when a U.S. missile hit the car in which they were fleeing the war. Bataineh's father Fayez, a retired army officer, incensed at the U.S., proclaimed Saddam Hussein a "brave man" for standing up to the U.S.
    His weeping mother begged American mothers to call their sons back from war.
    "I call upon all American mothers to bring their sons back from the war," said Iman Bataineh, wiping away her tears with one hand, clutching a picture of her son in the other.
    "Do the Americans think their sons will be safe in Iraq? The mothers should ask their sons to reject (U.S. President George W.) Bush's orders to fight and return home," said Iman, a mother of seven.
    The start of the U.S.-led war on Iraq last week unleashed a wave of sympathy for Iraq and hostility to the United States among ordinary Jordanians, though their pro-Western leaders have continued their policy of discreet cooperation with Washington.
    In the "street", however, that cooperation is proving unpopular. Anti-war demonstrations have become an almost daily event in Amman.
    Many Jordanians say Saddam's popularity has risen sharply among Jordanians since U.S. bombs began to fall on neighbouring Iraq.
    And Jordanian security forces have been keeping a close eye on demonstrators, trying to keep a lid on what is becoming an increasing heated anti-U.S. mood.
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