Jerusalem ‘bulldozer terrorist’ was Palestinian father-of-two Hossam Dawiath
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A Palestinian construction worker in a bulldozer went on deadly rampage in central Jerusalem today, killing at least three and injuring 45 in the latest violence to disrupt Israel’s fledgling diplomatic initiatives.
Hossam Dawiath, a 31-year-old Arab resident of East Jerusalem with a criminal record, caused havoc on one of Jerusalem’s main thoroughfares, driving into oncoming traffic and leaving a twisted metal swath of vehicles in his wake.
Numerous witnesses captured footage of Dawaith using one of the bulldozers at his construction site to plough through cars queuing on Jaffo Street, eventually overturning one bus and striking another before he was shot dead by security officers.
Palestinian militant groups claimed responsibility for the attack, although Israeli police said initial evidence suggested that Dawiath was a “terrorist acting on his own”.
The three organisations that took responsibility for the attack included the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, which is loosely affiliated with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement. The other two groups claiming responsibility were the Galilee Freedom Battalion, which is suspected of being affiliated with Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a fringe left-wing militant group.
Dawaith’s family, including his wife and two children, were questioned by police from their home in Zur Bahar.
Tayseer Dawaith, the father of the attacker, told media before he was led away by police: “My son never spoke of plans to carry out such an attack, if he had I would have tried to prevent it.”[…]
[…]US President George W Bush telephoned Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas to urge them to continue peace talks following the attack. […]