A mix of shock, outrage and grief pervades minds and hearts as we try to pick up the pieces of so many shattered lives and come to terms with the cowardly brutality that took away so many loved ones on Wednesday night.

It is the deepest and most painful wound to have ever been inflicted on this nation. But we will recover, stronger in our resolve to defend our way of life, protect our security and stability, fight for the values and principles we all share as Jordanians - East and West Bankers, Muslims and Christians, bedouins, Circassians, Chechens, Armenians.

We were attacked because of what Jordan stands for, because of what it represents in this region and beyond: A model of stability and security in a constantly turbulent area, an example of moderation and tolerance amidst bloody wars and religious and ethnic tensions, a success story of modernisation in a gravely underdeveloped region.

Terrorists hit Jordan because it embodies what they despise the most: Peace. They hit us because we are the champions of the true Islam of tolerance, dignity, respect for human life and understanding of the other.

They hit us because we have always been at the forefront in the fight against terrorism, long before Sept. 11, long before the "war on terror" became an integral part of US policy, long before Washington and all other Western capitals had ever even heard of Al Qaeda and Osama Ben Laden.

The response of the state to the heinous crimes of Wednesday night is swift and firm. As His Majesty King Abdullah vowed immediately after the blasts, those responsible will be brought to justice.

We take pride in our unrivalled security services and our highly professional law enforcement agencies; they have won countless battles and will win this one, too.

We also take pride in the exemplary response of the Jordanian people, in the dignity they show as they bury their dead, in the resolve with which they stand united in the face of terror, hatred and violence.

By early Thursday morning, some had already draped windows and balconies with Jordanian flags. Others had hoisted the country's banner on their cars. Most companies regularly opened for business, reflecting the determination to go on with the productive and peaceful lives of which terrorists tried to deprive us. Families went about their usual business, renewing their trust in the security forces and their allegiance to the principles this country represents.

This is how we respond to those who try to take from us what we hold dearest: By upholding it more strongly and firmly than ever.

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This editorial was published in the Friday, November 11, 2005 edition of the Jordan Times. It is used here with permission.