Series of explosions hit hotels in Amman

November 9, 2005 At least three explosions hit US-owned hotels in this evening, killing at least 57 people and wounding at least 245 others.

The first of the apparently coordinated suicide bombings occurred at 8.50 pm (1850 UTC) at the hotel in the Jordanian capital. It was followed by explosions at the SAS and the. The hotels are particularly popular with American and Israeli tourists. At least one American was killed, and at least two others were wounded. They were not identified due to the condition on anonymity in the embassy.

The bomb at the Grand Hyatt hotel apparently went off in the lobby; the bomb at the Radisson SAS exploded in a wedding hall packed with around 300 people. Most of the casualties are believed to be Jordanian.

Jordanian King Abdullah II has condemned the bombings and announced that "justice will pursue the criminals".

group, led by militant , is said to have claimed responsibility for the attacks on their website. The news was reported by several news outlets, but the authenticity of the claim has not yet been verified.