Police have arrested a woman suspected of having wanted to blow herself up in a series of suicide bombings in Jordan, King Abdullah has said.

Police say the Iraqi woman is the wife of one of three Iraqi male suicide bombers who attacked three hotels in Amman on Wednesday, killing 57 people.

Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher said she was also the sister of a key aide to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Zarqawi`s al-Qaeda in Iraq group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The three Iraqi bombers, who died in the attacks, were identified as Ali Hussein Ali al-Shamari, from Anbar province, Rawad Jassem Mohammed Abed, 23, and Safaa Mohammed Ali, 23.

The woman was identified as Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, 35, and she was married to al-Shamari.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Muasher showed reporters photographs of a suicide bomb belt packed with ball bearings that she was wearing at the time of the attacks.

He said she would make a statement on Jordanian television later in the day.

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sections: World News