DAMAGED BORDER POST; FIREMEN HOSING DOWN BUILDING; WRECKED CAR WHICH CARRIED THE MINE; ANOTHER DAMAGED CAR.




Initials PW/VS/JH/PC



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Background: FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF SIXTEEN PEOPLE WHEN A MINE EXPLODED AT A JORDANIAN BORDER CHECKPOINT ON THE JORDAN-SYRIA BORDER, SYRIA'S AMBASSADOR IN AMMAN HAS BEEN ASKED TO LEAVE JORDAN. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED ON SUNDAY WHEN A SYRIAN CAR ARRIVED AT THE CHECKPOINT AT RAMTHA AND A MINE INSIDE IT DETONATED.

WHILE FIREMEN AND POLICE CLEARED UP THE DEBRIS AND COUNTED THE DEAD AT THE LITTLE BORDER POST, JORDANIAN PRIME MINISTER SAAD JUMA'A TODAY TOLD PARLIAMENT IN AMMAN THAT THE MINE EXPLOSION WAS PLANNED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SYRIAN REGIME.

LATER, SYRIA'S AMBASSADOR IN AMMAN WAS ASKED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY AND THE SYRIAN CONSUL IN JERUSALEM WAS ALSO EXPELLED.

THE MINE DETONATED WHILE THE SYRIAN CAR WAS BEING SEARCHED BY JORDANIAN CUSTOMS OFFICIALS AND TODAY PRIME MINISTER SAAD JUMA'A TOLD PARLIAMENT THAT THE INCIDENT HAD COST JORDAN "MORE THAN THE BATTLE OF SAMMOU" (THE BATTLE LAST NOVEMBER WHEN ISRAEL AND JORDAN CLASHED AT SAMMOU ON THE JORDAN BORDER.)
THE SYRIA-JORDAN DISPUTE COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE ARAB NATIONS OF THE MIDDLE EAST ARE RALLYING THEIR FORCES AGAINST ISRAEL AND THE WHOLE AREA IS TENSE WITH TALK OF WAR.