At a news conference on Sunday, Jordan's information minister said the country had foiled a major plot by an al Qaeda-linked cell to bomb shopping centres and assassinate Western diplomats.

Security forces arrested 11 Jordanian nationals in connection with the plot, which they apparently planned to carry out in Amman using arms and explosives smuggled from Syria.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INFORMATION MINISTER, SAMEEH MAAITAH, SAYING:

"The weapons used include explosives, mortars, there were rifles. We have distributed a news item containing details of the foiled plan, including target locations."

If successful, the plot could have caused thousands of deaths, according to authorities, who added that the plot had been active since June.

Jordan is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East and is a peace partner of Israel.

The Arab kingdom has often been targeted by al Qaeda and other Islamist militant groups.