Country is safe, rumours should stop

Minister of Interior Hussein Majali assured citizens Sunday that security in the country and along its borders is “stable” and they have really nothing to fear.

The assurance came following rumours that public places, including malls, are not safe, presumably due to the extremists and radicals in the region, which prompted the formation of a coalition of nations that launched air strikes against the Islamic State in Syria.

Part of the rumours are dedicated to the network of sirens introduced in Amman, which, the minister said, had been contracted long time ago and for purposes that have nothing to do with any security threat posed by a terrorist group.

The situation may be tense and citizens, understandably, might be worried, but starting the rumour mill does not set things right and only serves miscreants.

Some embassies did indeed warn their nationals to stay away from public places, but that is their duty. They normally advise their nationals to ensure that they are safe, but not necessarily because there are actual threats.

That is their business. Jordanians’ is to stay calm, secure in the knowledge that the security apparatuses are fully prepared and doing their job professionally.

The minister did not exclude the possibility that some individuals are spreading rumours to undermine the stability of the country and hurt its economic activity, which is normally spurred by occasions like the Eid Al Adha, only a few days away.

If that is true, the enemies of the country must be identified and brought to justice.

During a recent Cabinet meeting, the prime minister expressed full confidence in the ability of the Jordan Armed Forces and the security institutions to defend the country against threats from whatever source, calling, nevertheless, for vigilance.

After all, the public should be part of the efforts to maintain the country safe and should refrain from spreading harmful rumours.