Israel Matzav

Walajeh shooter caught

The 'Palestinian' who shot at an Israeli couple near Walajeh on Saturday night has been caught.

The intended victims were not hurt in the attack. Their car was hit. An initial investigation found that the terrorist used a Kalashnikov in the assault.

The attacker, was identified as 34-year-old Mohand Mahmad Mahmoud Aza of Bethlehem. He was found in the village of Hussan and taken in for questioning. Under preliminary interrogation, he tied himself to the shooting.

"We flooded the area with soldiers," after the shooting, an IDF source said. "We saw his footprints and followed them." The terrorist knew he had soldiers on his trail and tried to escape in a new direction, but the new path was more difficult, the source said. "We found him after three and a half hours, on a steep hill leading down from a cliff. The terrorist tried to hide in the bushes, but when he saw the force heading in his direction he put up his hands in surrender."

Hussan is the village between the main road and Beitar. Walajeh is a village you pass through when the tunnel between Gush Etzion and Gilo is closed.

The shooter was captured less than two hours after the attack.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:26 AM