Suspected terrorists 'could be al-Qaida'

Jordanian officials said today that suspected terrorists detained this week carrying explosives may have belonged to al-Qaida and been linked to plots to blow up vital public facilities to destabilise the US-allied Arab kingdom.

In light of the fears, security forces have beefed up patrols and car searches across the capital, Amman, and issued alerts and rewards for three wanted fugitives and two cars with explosives believed associated with the men arrested earlier this week, officials said.