AMMAN SHOOTING
On 09/04/2006 noon a gunman opened fire on a group of tourists, while shouting “Allah hu Acbar” “God is great” in Amman, Jordan’s capital. The tourists were visiting the ancient Roman amphitheater which is a popular tourist attraction in Amman and is generally crowded with Western tourists. A British tourist, Christopher Stokes, was killed and other six, from Holland and Germany were wounded by the gun fire.
The shooter was caught, after he run out of ammunition in his pistol, by the guard on the scene and was identified as Nabil Ahmed Issa Jaourah, 38, who is from Palestinian descent and lived with his family in a village just outside Zarqa, the home town of Abu Musab al Zarqawi and a centre for Islamic militants in Jordan.
Nabil Ahmed Jaourah was born in Baqaa camp on the outskirts of Amman, is married, a father of five and worked as a metal welder. Although Nabil Ahmed Jaourah once wore a beard, traditional among some conservative Muslims, he was clean-shaven when he carried out the assault. (Generally would be suicide bombers use to cleanse and shave themselves before committing their deed).
Jordanian government spokesman Nasser Judeh said the next day that it appears as Nabil Ahmed Jaourah acted on his own. His trial was opened in Amman on 10/19/2006. Nabil Ahmed Jaourah admitted all the charges against him and was sentenced to death on 12/21/2006. His lawyer claimed that Nabil Ahmed Jaourah felt anger after two of his brothers were killed by an Israeli army incursion to Lebanon in 1982.
The sentence of Nabil Ahmed Jaourah is, meanwhile, upheld and today (05/2008) he is kept in Jordanian jail.
** Note – Allenby Shooting – On 05/20/2004, a Jordanian policeman opened fire at a group of four Israelis in Allenby Bridge, on the Jordan River border crossing Between Jordan and the Palestinian Authority West Bank (see also – UN Kosovo shooting).
After few shoots the weapon of the policeman jammed and he was overpowered by a Jordanian officer. Nobody was harmed or injured by the shooting.
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