Jordan Times
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Investigation in
shooting concludes
King visits victims in hospital
By Khalid Neimat
Amman — The government announced on Tuesday
evening that the authorities have concluded the investigation into Monday’s
shooting at the Roman Amphitheatre in Amman.
“The suspect worked alone without connection to any organisation internally or
externally,” Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said following a Cabinet
meeting yesterday, reiterating statements to the same effect made on Monday.
“The incident was not based on any type of ideology,” he added.
The investigation revealed that the suspect, 38-year-old Jordanian Nabil Ahmad
Issa Jaaoura, had two brothers who were killed during Israeli attacks on Lebanon
in 1982 who were members of Palestinian groups there, according to Judeh.
He added that the suspect is a resident of Ruseifa in east of the capital.
Jaaoura allegedly claimed during questioning that he “waited until his children
were older to commit his crime,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, His Majesty King Abdullah visited the victims of the shooting in the
hospital on Tuesday.
In a statement to the Jordan News agency, Petra, while checking in on the
injured at King Hussein Medical Centre (KHMC), King Abdullah denounced the
attack that targeted a group of foreign tourists at the Romen Amphitheatre.
He added that the crime is against the teachings of Islam and all Jordanian
traditions, and expressed his pride in the security personnel and citizens who
rushed to assist the tourists when the crime occurred.
The King also highlighted the bravery of Sergeant Awni Zawahreh, the tour
group’s guide and a member of the tourism police, who is currently undergoing
treatment at KHMC for a gunshot wound while trying to apprehend the criminal.
The sergeant told King Abdullah that as soon as he heard the shots and screams,
he rushed to the site and saw the tourists lying on the ground Zawahreh then saw
the gunman fleeing the scene, pistol in hand.
“I fired one shot in the air to draw the criminal’s attention. He hid behind a
tree, and began to shoot at me,” the sergeant recounted.
Zawahreh and the criminal exchanged fire, and the criminal continued shooting
despite the officer’s pleas to stop.
“Running out of ammunition, I moved forward. When I was there face to face with
him, he shot me in the chest and the thigh,” the sergeant recalled.
He then managed to handcuff the shooter with the help of bystanders.