Schoolgirls pray as gunman sprays bus with automatic gunfire

AP | 11/04/01 | JAMIE TARABAY

[kattracks]

JERUSALEM, Nov 04, 2001 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Mazal Amsalem saw the gunman through the window and cried out to the schoolgirls sitting near her on the No. 25 bus to get down.

The teen-age yeshiva students did as they were told, and began reciting psalms as automatic gunfire shattered the bus windows around them.

Sitting crouched on the sidewalk, Amsalem recounted the moments of terror as a Palestinian gunman sprayed the bus with gunfire, killing two people and turning an afternoon commute home from school into a horror.

One of the dead was identified by police as Shoshana Ben Yishai, a 16-year-old from the West Bank settlement of Betar Illit.

"It's terrible that high-school girls get wounded, some in the head, some in the back. It's indescribable," Amsalem said Sunday still in shock, her right hand clutching a scrunched-up tissue.

"I could see him very clearly outside the door," she said. "I was scared. The first thing I did throw myself to the floor and I yelled at some girls to get heir heads down," she said.

"They all did, and they began reciting psalms and praying," she said.

The area of the shooting was in a disputed part of Jerusalem, the French Hill district, which is near several Palestinian villages and neighborhoods.

The intersection, which had a trail of blood running through it, was cordoned off at the start of the busy afternoon rush-hour and police swarmed the area. Backpacks were strewn on the ground near the shattered glass from the bus windows.

The bus door and most of the windows were either blown out or punctured by bullets, and bloodied victims were visible through the windows for several minutes as paramedics rushed to the scene. One man, his head bloodied, sat motionless in the back seat.

The gunman, identified by police as a 24-year-old member of the militant group Islamic Jihad, managed to empty his M-16 of bullets before being killed by a civilian, a border guard and a soldier who opened fire, police said.

An eyewitness who identified himself only as Marcus told Israel radio he fired first.

"I got out of the car. I fired. I emptied an entire clip. He fell. Then two soldiers came and I showed them where he was and they shot him with their M-16s," he said.

Border policeman Eliad Ela, 19, was patrolling the area with a female colleague when they heard the gunfire and ran toward it, cocking their guns.

"When I got there I looked around the corner of the bus and saw a man shooting all over the place," Ela told reporters. "I shot at him. I saw that he was neutralized. I kicked his gun away and went to help the wounded."

By JAMIE TARABAY Associated Press Writer

Copyright 2001 Associated Press, All rights reserved

[rebdov]

Why is the US trying to muzzle the Jews? Why don't Jews have the same right of self-defense that US citizens have? Mr Powell can you answer why school girls in Israel are fair game, but school girls in Brooklyn aren't? Why is the US shielding these murderers? How many Jews have to die while the US coddles Arab friends who really hate the US. Who is being fooled? I think that the average American wants us to tell these Arab murderers where to go not make them allies.

[Palladin]

FIRE COLIN POWELL!!!

We do not need this mealy-mouthed pacifist representing us during wartime. There are any number of true patriots who can do the job better than Powell.

How about Rudy Giuliani?

[athiestwithagun]

The answers is simple: Oil. The Arabs have it, Israel doesn't.

[dennisw]

 

 

Looks like the Arabs tried to kill some Black Israelis. Who are the real racists of the MidEast? Yet another Arab lie gets exposed!

 

Israeli paramedics escort a woman to an ambulance after a Palestinian militant opened fire on a city bus at a busy intersection in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001, killing two people and injuring 40 others, police and medical officials said. Police shot and killed the attacker. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel)

[dennisw]

A woman is comforted by a friend near the scene of a shooting attack on an Israeli public bus, background, in Jerusalem, Sunday Nov. 4, 2001. Police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

[Cicero]

I hate to say it, but Bush is partly responsible for these continuing incidents. He has tied the Israelis' hands behind their backs, and the Arabs know it. It's time to admit that the policy of cozying up to Arafat is a miserable failure. Not only is it morally bankrupt, but it is achieving exactly the opposite purpose from what was intended. Instead of calming things down and placating the Arabs, it is merely stirring them up and bringing the Middle East to the breaking point.

All this was Tony Blair's idea, supported by Colin Powell and the Arabists in our State Department. But as Bush continues to heed their advice, the responsibility becomes his.

I'm a Bush supporter, but not everything he does is right. This is one of his worst mistakes--morally bankrupt and politically stupid.

[vrwc54]

The pictures on Yahoo were so gruesome. I wish newspapers would have the courage to print them so people would see the reality of the situation.

[dennisw]

A woman wounded when an Israeli public bus, background, came under fire from a gunman, is brought to an ambulance by a police officer in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police report that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than a dozen. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)

[BigBlueJon]

If that gun-wielding civilian were here in CA, he would be the criminal and probably get sued by the gunman's family. What's wrong with that picture? I'm with you.

[TheOtherOne]

As if I could be more sickened by the PA, shooting kids in the back.

MORE PHOTOS (will open in new window shen clicked):

Bloody young victim

Another photo of victim

Girl shot in the back

Graphic photo - dead victim shot in head

[dennisw]

 

Yahoo! News Photo Matches 1 - 20 of 94                                      Thanks Yahoo!

	An Israeli policeman guards the entrance of a bus after a gun attack in Jerusalem, November 4, 2001. A Palestinian gunman killed a woman in an attack on an Israeli bus at one of Jerusalem's busiest intersections before being shot dead, police said. (Nir Elias/Reuters) - Nov 04 2:30 PM ET
	An Israeli police officer carrying an automatic rifle leaves the area of the Israeli public bus which was attacked by a gunman in Jerusalem, Sunday Nov. 4, 2001. A Palestinian gunman opened fire Sunday on a bus at a busy intersection in the disputed part of Jerusalem, killing two people and injuring more than 40 others, police and medical officials said. The attacker was shot and killed at the scene. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) - Nov 04 1:42 PM ET
	An Israeli officer collects remains of blood and flesh in the Israeli public bus that was attacked by a gunman in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. According to the Jewish law all remains have to be collected for a proper funeral. Israeli police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at the busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem, killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. Police shot and killed one attacker. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) - Nov 04 1:08 PM ET
	An Israeli soldier talks into his mobile phone in front of the Israeli public bus that was attacked by a gunman in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Israeli police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at the busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem, killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. Police shot and killed one attacker. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) - Nov 04 1:01 PM ET
	A teenager wounded after a gunman opened fire on an Israeli public bus is taken to an ambulance, in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 12:51 PM ET
	A woman is comforted by a friend near the scene of a shooting attack on an Israeli public bus, background, in Jerusalem, Sunday Nov. 4, 2001. Police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 12:52 PM ET
	A woman comforted by a friend near the scene of a shooting attack on an Israeli public bus in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police reported that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 12:46 PM ET
	Israeli paramedics escort a woman to an ambulance after a Palestinian militant opened fire on a city bus at a busy intersection in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001, killing two people and injuring 40 others, police and medical officials said. Police shot and killed the attacker. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel) - Nov 04 12:02 PM ET
	Israeli police try to clear onlookers away from the scene where a Palestinian militant opened fire on a city bus at a busy intersection in Jerusalem, Sunday Nov. 4, 2001, killing two people and injuring at least 40 others, police and medical officials said. Police shot and killed the attacker. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel) - Nov 04 12:05 PM ET
	A woman wounded when an Israeli public bus, background, came under fire from a gunman, is brought to an ambulance by a police officer in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police report that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two passengers and wounding more than a dozen. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 12:04 PM ET
	EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT--Israeli investigators inspect the body of a Palestinian militant who opened fire on a city bus at a busy intersection in Jerusalem, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001, killing two people and injuring at least 40 others, police and medical officials said. Police shot and killed the attacker. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel) - Nov 04 12:05 PM ET
	EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT--Israeli investigators inspect the body of a Palestinian militant who opened fire on a city bus at a busy intersection in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001, killing two people and injuring at least 40 others, police and medical officials said. Police shot and killed the attacker at the scene. (AP Photo/Elizabeth Dalziel) - Nov 04 12:07 PM ET
	An wounded teenager is rushed from an Israeli public bus, after a gunman opened fire on the bus in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police report that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy road intersection in northeastern Jerusalem killing two people and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 11:55 AM ET
	Police and a bystander help a wounded teenager as she lies next to the Israeli public bus after the was attacked by a gunman in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police report that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy intersection in northeastern Jerusalem, killing two passengers and wounding more than 40 others. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 12:00 PM ET
	EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT- A passenger on an Israeli public bus, sits lifeless after apparently being shot in the head, after gunmen opened fire in Jerusalem on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2001. Police report that a Palestinian militant opened fire on the bus at a busy road intersection in northeastern Jerusalem, killing two passengers and wounding more than a dozen. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma) - Nov 04 11:07 AM ET Horrible graphic picture go to> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/ap/20011104/wl/ 1004890209mideast_israel_palestinians_jrl103.html
	An Israeli policeman guards the entrance of a bus after a gun attack in Jerusalem, November 4, 2001. A Palestinian gunman killed a woman in an attack on an Israeli bus at one of Jerusalem's buisiest intersections before being shot dead, police and doctores said. REUTERS/Nir Elias - Nov 04 11:00 AM ET
	An Israeli bus passenger injured in a gun attack is taken to an ambulance in Jerusalem, November 4, 2001. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at an Israeli bus wounding at least 10 people before security forces shot him dead, police said. REUTERS/Nir Elias - Nov 04 11:05 AM ET
	An Israeli bus passenger injured in a gun attack is taken to an ambulance in Jerusalem, November 4, 2001. A Palestinian gunman opened fire at an Israeli bus wounding at least 10 people before security forces shot him dead, police said. REUTERS/Nir Elias - Nov 04 10:45 AM ET

 

[vrwc54]

A Sad Bump

[monkeyshine]

No, they would sue the gun manufacturer.

[knighthawk]

Well, if you give them their own state in wich you round all the Palestinians up, you could bomb the place into obliviation to make 'em pay!

[jude24]

They are a hateful and evil people..

The Palastinian terrorists are a hateful and evil people.

[chantal7]

Thank goodness that not only the police were near with guns but a passing motorist/citizen had a gun and was able to disable the monster.

Our communist demonrats want our population unarmed. Let's send them over to Israel and see how they fare when under fire with no defense.

[knighthawk]

Are you speaking about the guy who said that Palestinians were allowed to be terrorists because their land was occupied? Or someone else?

Anyway, people who want to justify these kind of horrible terrorist attacks should remind this: you are either with us, or against us!

[God_isa_Jew]

""When I got there I looked around the corner of the bus and saw a man shooting all over the place," Ela told reporters. "I shot at him. I saw that he was neutralized. I kicked his gun away and went to help the wounded.""

This is the only logical response to islamic terrorism,.....and the solution soon to be implimented by the returning Jewish Messiah.