'Terrorist yelled Allah Akhbar'

The top brass of Jerusalem's police forces gathered on Wednesday afternoon to review the security situation in the Jerusalem following the deadly terror rampage in the city's center earlier in the day. Three Israelis were killed and dozens more were wounded after a Palestinian construction worker from east Jerusalem drove a massive bulldozer into crowded traffic. An initial inquiry into the event conducted by Jerusalem District Police chief, Maj. Gen. Aharon Franco, determined that at least four different security personnel attempted to subdue the terrorist before he was finally shot and killed by a SWAT officer who jumped on the tractor. Two police officers stationed nearby saw the attack unfolding, the female officer took out her sidearm and shot the terrorist. But though she managed to wound him, he continued driving the large earthmover, crushing oncoming traffic. Officers kill Jerusalem terrorist (Video: Infolive.tv, courtesy of the BBC) At this point an off-duty soldier fresh out of basic training, who asked not to be identified, rushed to the scene and jumped on the tractor, also shooting the terrorist. But he kept going. "He yelled Allah Akhbar and hit the gas," recounted the soldier, whose brother-in-law, Cpt. David Shapira, took out the terrorist who killed eight seminary students at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in March. "I did what is expected of any soldier or civilian," he said. (Photo: Reuters) Moments later a pair of SWAT officers managed to course through the chaos on a motorcycle. "I moved to engage the tractor. The terrorist was acting like a madman. He'd started hurtling towards Jaffa St., running over pedestrians and cars as he went," said SWAT officer Eli Mizrachi. "The civilian who was with me fired at him," he recounted, referring to the soldier. Mizrachi then also jumped onto the tractor's stairs and shot the terrorist twice, killing him and ending the rampage. Police: Attack was 'spontaneous' The current police assessment is that the terrorist did not plan the attack in advance. "This appears to have been a spontaneous attack," Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen told reporters at the scene of the attack. Maj. Gen. Franco confirmed that the terrorist has been identified as 31-year-old Hosam Dwayyat, a father of two and resident of Zur Bahar. Dwayyat had taken the bulldozer from the construction company that employed him. "Police and Border Police forces are currently spread out in the village and are searching for suspects who may have been involved," said Franco, adding that the measure was derived from studying the Mercaz Harav incident, where the terrorist had also been from east Jerusalem. "The troops have located the terrorist's home and police have already questioned his employers." A little-known group calling itself the Imad Mughnieh unit of the Brigades of the Liberators of the Galilee claimed responsibility in a phone call to AFP. The credibility of the claim could not be immediately established. Abbas aide Saeb Erekat condemned the violence. ''We condemn any attacks that target civilians, whether Israelis or Palestinians,'' he said. Hanan Greenberg, Elad Rubenstein, Roi Mandel and AFP contributed to this report

'Terrorist yelled Allah Akhbar'

It took four security officers to finally subdue terrorist on bulldozer rampage in Jerusalem which left three civilians dead. Off-duty soldier who helped officers is brother-in-law of army officer who took out Mercaz Harav terrorist in March