Terror attack in Jerusalem kills 1; Hamas claims responsibility

A van rammed into a group of pedestrians waiting for Jerusalem's Light Rail, killing one person and wounding a number of others, in what seems to be an additional terror attack on Wednesday. The suspected terrorist was identified as a Hamas operative from East Jerusalem. Hamas has taken responsibility for Wednesday's deadly terror attack and spokesman Mushir al-Masri praised the Islamic terrorist, saying that that it was an act of revenge "for al-Aqsa and for the blood of those who guard Al-Aqsa." Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum also lauded the attack and called for more violence. "We praise this heroic operation," he said, adding that "We call for more such ... operations." According to initial reports, the terrorist first hit a group of security forces that were waiting at a crosswalk on a main road that straddles predominantly Arab East Jerusalem and an adjacent ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood and then headed for the train station and continued driving down the street, hitting cars. He then rammed into a group of pedestrians with his car, killing one person and leaving two with serious wounds, two others in moderate condition and one in light condition. The driver then continued to drive hitting a number of cars and then stopped, exited the car holding a metal bar and proceeded to attack additional pedestrians. Border Patrol forces then shot and killed him. Ibrahim al-Akari, the suspected terrorist behind the attack was identified by the police as a Hamas operative from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shuafat.