AMMAN, Sept 4: A Jordanian gunman opened fire on western tourists in the heart of Amman on Monday, killing a Briton and wounding five holidaymakers and a policeman in what officials called a ‘terror’ attack.
Officials said gunman Nabil Ahmad Issa Jaaoura was arrested after the midday attack, identifying him as a Jordanian of Palestinian origin from Zarqa, the hometown of slain Al-Qaeda in Iraq operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit, speaking to journalists after visiting the wounded in hospital, said Mr Jaaoura has a ‘police record’ but did not elaborate.
Interior Minister Eid Fayez said Mr Jaaoura apparently acted alone but ‘was determined to kill’ as he shot his victims in the back while they were climbing the steps of a Roman amphitheatre in downtown Amman.
“What happened this morning is a criminal, cowardly and treacherous act. It is a terrorist act that has nothing to do with Jordanian culture or Arab culture,” Mr Fayez said.
The minister said Jordan would not raise the level of security in place since a series of hotel bombings in Amman last November that killed 60 people, adding visitors had nothing to fear.
“Security measures were in place in the area because it is a tourist area ... and we have no plans to take any other measures,” he said.
“The gunman has been identified as Nabil Ahmad. He is a Jordanian, in his 30s, and a resident of Zarqa,” an impoverished town northeast of Amman and hometown of Zarqawi, who was killed in a US raid in Iraq in June, Mr Fayez said.
Jordanian officials are investigating the gunman’s motives, he added.
“He is under investigation and so far there are no indications that there was another person (involved),” Mr Fayez said. “But it seems he was determined to kill.”
Security sources said that Jaaoura worked as a blacksmith, and was married with five children.
Witness Mohammed Jawad said the assailant opened fire twice at the group before he was arrested by police.
“The gunman fired around 14 rounds after climbing the steps of the amphitheatre shouting Allahu Akbar,” the witness said, although the interior minister denied the gunman uttered Islamic slogans.—AFP
