Arutz Sheva, Israel
Aug 12 2007
Old City Terrorist Was an Israeli Arab
by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
(IsraelNN.com) The identity of the terrorist who was killed during an
attempt to snatch a security guard’s weapon on Friday has been
released for publication. He was Ahmed Mahmoud Khatib, a 29-year-old
Israeli Arab from the town of Kfar Manda in the Western Galilee.
General
Three different terrorist groups claimed credit for the attack.
Security Services agents detained and questioned several residents of
the town.
According to reports from the Ateret Kohanim yeshiva, located in the
Old City of Jerusalem, Khatib managed to grab the personal weapon of
a guard employed by the yeshiva. The terrorist then reportedly opened
fire randomly until he was himself shot and killed by a second
security guard. At least one source claimed that the security guard
whose gun was pilfered was first stabbed by Khatib.
11 people were injured in the Old City attack, either from gun shot
wounds or from injuries sustained as they fled the scene of the
shooting. Among the victims of the attack, two people sustained
moderate injuries and eight were lightly hurt. Six of those injured
are Jews, two – a father and daughter – are Armenian, and two are
Muslims.
Police Commander Lt. Gen. Dudi Cohen said Friday that the security
guards who countered the attack "acted flawlessly, as they were
supposed to. Security in Jerusalem is at the maximal level. People
can come and visit, and even walk about [safely] in the alleys of the
Old City."
Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky said that "the capital of Israel will
not give in to attempts to destabilize its security."
On Saturday, three different terrorist groups claimed credit for the
attack. In a joint statement, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed
wing of the PFLP, the Al-Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad and the
Al-Aqsa Brigades of Fatah all claimed responsibility. Fatah is headed
by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who recently
released dramatic footage of Al-Aqsa terrorists turning their weapons
in to the PA’s official police department.
Family members and friends of the alleged terrorist said that
[Khatib was] a 29-year-old Israeli Arab from the… Western Galilee.
they were "surprised" at his involvement in such an incident. They
described Khatib as having always been so "quiet."
Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP) said that Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert shared blame for Friday’s terror incident. "The
first terror attack in Jerusalem in two years is apparently the
result of statements by Prime Minister Olmert and his associates
regarding their wish to create a Palestinian state in most of Judea
and Samaria and to divide to the capital," Eldad declared.
News of a government plan to hand over territory equivalent to all of
Judea and Samaria was published in the Ha’aretz newspaper last week,
although the existence of such a plan was vigorously denied by
Olmert’s office.