Careful Thought

Here’s an update on the previous post about the terrorist bulldozer attack (actually, it was a front-end loader) in Jerusalem.

The copycat attack occurred on the corner of Keren Hayesdod and King David streets in downtown Jerusalem, down the road from the hotel where U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama was to be staying later in the day.

“The bulldozer driver left a construction site, and hit two cars,” a police spokesman said.

“A civilian who saw what was happening, shot him. The bulldozer continued on its way. A Border Police patrol… continued to shoot and the terrorist was killed,” the spokesman said. “Another person was wounded.”

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The heroic civilian who stopped the terrorist is Yakki Asa’el, aged 53, father of 8, grandfather of 6. A teacher and farmer by profession. IDF Company Commander (מפקד פלוגה) in the reserves. Settler from Susya (Har Hevron Hills area).  (HT:The Muqata)

Quick thinking - and a readily available weapon - saved untold lives and put a rapid end to both terrorist and terrorist attack.

Military service is compulsory in Israel and even elementary school field trips require an armed escort.  We visited Israel a few years back and it was not unusual at all to see a group of school kids followed by a teacher or guard with a rifle slung over their back.

This picture was taken at Masada.  Slacker Boy has what looked like a Galil AR 5.56.  I bet he knows how to use it.

Granted, we don’t live under the same threat of imminent attack by mindless terrorists, but how many lives at Columbine or Virginia Tech could have been saved if the bad guys had to guess which bystanders were packing heat?

Technorati Tags: concealed carry laws, Israel, terrorism

Tags: concealed carry laws, Israel, terrorism

Things are still a mess in the Middle East, despite Obamessiah’s presence.

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Israelis hit by new digger attack

A Palestinian in a mechanical digger has rammed traffic in west Jerusalem, injuring at least 10 people before being shot dead, Israeli police say.

A bus and a number of cars were hit during the incident. Some cars were crushed and one was turned on its roof.

Witnesses say an armed civilian first shot at the driver, before he was killed by border police.

Three weeks ago a Palestinian man went on a deadly rampage in a heavy vehicle in Jerusalem, killing three Israelis.

A BBC correspondent says it is thought the 2 July attacker was simply a disturbed man without political motivation - but Israelis will worry Tuesday’s incident was a copycat attack and that this could now be a new tactic.

Police identified the perpetrator as 22-year-old East Jerusalem resident Ghassan Abu Tir. It is not known if he was connected to any militant group.

And in a separate story, yet another Hamas terrorist is wandering aimlessly in the afterlife, looking for his 72 virgins - or do you get virgins if you blow yourself up accidentally without taking non-muslims with you?

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Hamas member killed in explosion

Hamas says one of its members has been killed in an explosion at a house near Gaza City.

The militant group said the man died while on “a holy mission” - a term often used when a member dies accidentally while handling explosives.

Two teenage boys were wounded in the blast at the militant’s home.

In the West Bank, Palestinian officials say Israeli troops have arrested a Hamas member of parliament from the city of Nablus.

Mona Mansour and 19 other people were detained.

Israeli troops have in recent weeks raided Nablus almost daily in a crackdown on Hamas.

Across the West Bank, Israeli forces have closed down several institutions allegedly linked to Hamas.

Technorati Tags: Hamas, Israel, terrorism

Tags: Hamas, Israel, terrorism