Q&A: Jordan gun attack

A gunman has opened fire on foreign tourists sightseeing in the Jordanian capital Amman, killing a British man and injuring at least five others before being arrested.

The BBC's Amman correspondent, Jon Leyne, examines the possible motives and repercussions of the attack.

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What do we know about who might have been behind this attack?

The interior minister has said it is not known yet whether the gunman was acting alone or was part of a wider group.

The man they arrested is from Zarqa, the hometown of the notorious militant Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. Zarqawi was killed in Iraq in June, but still has some supporters in Jordan.

The gunman could have been part of what is now broadly known as al-Qaeda. It is also possible he was acting alone - as the security services in Jordan tend to have good information on most Jordanian militants acting in groups.

What reaction has there been?

Most people in Jordan would condemn an attack such as this. However there is deep frustration at Western policy in the Middle East.

Most recently, many people were very critical of the Israeli military action in Lebanon, and feel their government is too strong a supporter of the United States.

What is the level of the terror threat in Jordan?

The threat is high, with checkpoints in many places, and guards on most tourist hotels.

The last attack was in November, when 60 people were killed in a series of suicide bomb attacks in Amman.

Apart from that, the country has mostly fended off the terrorist threat in recent years despite its precarious position in the middle of this troubled region.

What do we know about the impact of terrorist attacks on day-to-day life and the economy?

The impact on day-to-day life is not so great. Anecdotally, however the tourist industry has been badly affected this year, as much by the war in Lebanon as the general terrorist threat.

Are there suspected links between terrorists in Jordan and Iraq?

Those who carried out the attacks in Jordan last November were all thought to be Iraqis.

Monday's attacker, according to the government here, was Jordanian.

The Iraqi conflict is also part of the wider discontent that inspires militants here.