Jordan Again Accuses Iraq in Riots

King Hussein accused a foreign government Thursday of instigating food riots, a reference to Iraq that is likely to escalate tensions between the neighbors.

“I have confessions here that many of the disturbances that occurred in Jordan were incited from outside with decisions, backing, commitments and instigation from governments,” Hussein said in a nationally televised speech.

The remarks were seen as a reference to Iraq, although he did not mention the country by name at that point in his hourlong speech.

Later, the king asked sarcastically: “Do you want us to suffer like the Iraqi people?”

Hussein said earlier in the week that the protests were inspired by Iraq but had not implicated the Iraqi government.

Three days of violent demonstrations broke out in southern towns and the capital, Amman, shortly after bread prices were doubled last week as part of an economic reform plan supervised by the International Monetary Fund.

At least 40 people were hurt as the protesters burned cars, banks and government buildings in the worst unrest since 1989 in the normally peaceful kingdom.

Hussein provided no evidence implicating Iraq other than saying he had “confessions.”

The government has announced the arrests of 300 people in the protests. None has been identified as Iraqi, though government officials say some are linked to the Jordanian Arab Socialist Baath Party, an offshoot of the ruling party in Iraq.