Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Barack Obama Strongly Condemns Terror Attack Near Jerusalem Hotel



In an attack that injured anywhere from 5 to 16 people, depending on what reports your read, a man took a backhoe and went on a rampage in central Jerusalem Tuesday before being shot and killed.

CNN reports that 5 were injured when a 22 year-old Palestinian man from east Jerusalem went on a rampage that is reminiscent of the attack earlier this month which killed three and wounded about 45 others.

In this latest attack, the 22 year-old took a backhoe from a construction site, drove it about 160 meters, crashing into a city bus and four other vehicles.

According to an Associated press article published in JPost, there were 16 injured while the CNN report only listed 5.

The injured were taken to hospitals in the capital.

The attack took place near the luxury hotel where Barack Obama is scheduled to stay on Tuesday night.

Obama commented on the attack from Jordan, saying, "I strongly condemn this attack and will always support Israel in confronting terrorism and pursuing lasting peace and security. Right now, my thoughts and prayers go out to all who were injured and their families."


The bus driver, who was not identified, described the scene for Channel 10 TV, stating, "I was driving on the main road when the (construction vehicle) hit me in the rear, on the right hand side. After I passed him he turned round, made a U-turn and rammed the windows twice with the shovel. The third time he aimed for my head, he came up to my window and I swerved to the right, otherwise I would have gone to meet my maker."

Witness Moshe Shimshi said that the bulldozer driver, who was wearing a large, white skullcap commonly worn by religious Muslims, slammed into the side of the bus, then sped away and went for a car.

"He didn't yell anything, he just kept ramming into cars," Shimshi said.

The driver then headed for cars waiting at a red light "and rammed into them with all his might," he added.


Two of those wounded were a mother and a baby and one other man had his leg partially severed, according to Israeli rescue services. That man had been in the car that was overturned by the backhoe.

An Israeli spokesman, Mark Regev, states, "This was another attempt to murder innocent people in a senseless act of terrorism. All people who believe in peace and reconciliation must unequivocally condemn this attack. Unfortunately, it is clear that we as a society will have to remain vigilant against terrorism."

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