Har Adar shooter trained himself for the attack — report
Security officials tell Channel 10 they believe terrorist's training helped him overcome a jam in his gun during the shooting
The terrorist who carried out Tuesday’s deadly shooting attack at the settlement of Har Adar is believed to have trained himself extensively for the attack, Channel 10 reported Thursday night.
The training may have helped Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal overcome a jam which is reported to have occurred in his firearm during the attack, the news channel reported. Jamal quickly cleared the jam and continued to fire at his victims.
Channel 10 further reported that security forces on Thursday arrested the man suspected of providing Jamal with the handgun used in the attack, a gun which was reported stolen in Israel in 2003.
On Tuesday, Jamal arrived at the rear entrance of Har Adar as security officers were opening the gates to Palestinian laborers. He took the handgun out of his shirt and opened fire, hitting four of them.
One border police officer, Solomon Gavriyah, 20, and two private security guards — Youssef Ottman, 25, of the nearby Arab Israeli community of Abu Ghosh, and Or Arish, 25, of Har Adar — were killed in the attack. The settlement’s security coordinator was also shot and injured.
The IDF on Wednesday and Thursday confiscated dozens of cars and issued orders to halt illegal construction in Jamal’s hometown of Bayt Surik as well as nearby Bidu, the army said. The military also rescinded work permits belonging to family members of the terrorist.
During the raids in the central West Bank villages, two handguns were found, the army said.
On Thursday Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack.
Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh published a statement in which he said “The president’s permanent position is to condemn all acts of violence, including this incident, no matter the source.”
AP contributed to this report.