AMMAN, Jordan, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The family and tribe of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, disowned him Sunday.
Seventy-six members of the Khalayleh family of the prominent Bani Hassan clan, from which Zarqawi hails, placed prominent advertisements in local newspapers in Jordan, pledging allegiance to Jordanian King Abdullah II and denouncing "all terrorist acts claimed by Ahmad Fadeel Khalayleh," Zarqawi's real name.
The statement included the signature of Zarqawi's brother, Sayel Fadeel Nazzal Khalayleh, and his cousins. In it, the Khalayleh family renounced Zarqawi, his acts and statements - and insisted that "anyone who dares to carry out such acts against our Jordan has no links to Jordan and did not drink from its water; therefore, we disown him until the day of judgment."
The statement came two days after the appearance on an Islamic Web site of an audio recording by someone who sounded like Zarqawi, threatening to strike against Jordan and its king again, and warning Muslims against going to "immoral hotels," foreign embassies and military installations.
Zarqawi's al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for suicide attacks in three Amman hotels on Nov. 9 that killed 59 people and injured 100 others.
