11:57pm UK, Wednesday November 09, 2005

Scores of people are feared dead after blasts hit three luxury hotels in Jordan's capital Amman.

Police believe suicide bombers were behind the attacks.

180-Amman Jordan blasts Days Inn hotel

The scene at the Days Inn

The Grand Hyatt hotel, the Radisson hotel and the Days Inn hotel in the commercial Jebel Amman district were all hit in quick succession.

"The attacks were carried out either by individuals wearing explosives on their belts or in one instance by a car that attempted to cross through the security barrier," said Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Moasher.

He said at least 53 people - mostly Jordanians - were killed in the blasts. Hundreds of people were injured.

The first bomb, at 8:50 local time (1850 GMT), struck the Hyatt, completely shattering the stone entrance.

Police said a second explosion hit a wedding hall at the nearby Radisson SAS hotel.

"The damage was massive and there was blood everwhere," said Mohammed Arslan, who was attending the marriage celebrations in the Radisson's Philadelphia room.

King Abdullah II condemned the attacks as "criminal acts committed by a deviant and misleading bunch".

He said they would not sway Jordan from continuing its battle against terrorism.