17-Oct-15: Knife attack at Qalandiya Crossing tonight

Qalandiya Crossing [Image Source]

In an earlier post this evening, we mentioned briefly that a stabbing attack had just happened at the Qalandiya Crossing, on Jerusalem's northern perimeter. Now we know more:

Security forces at Kalandia checkpoint north of Jerusalem shot an Arab terrorist who attempted to attack soldiers with a large knife. One Border Police officer was targeted in the attack, but the knife did not pierce his flak jacket, and the terrorist was shot. A bomb squad specialist then arrived to inspect the terrorist's body to ensure he was not strapped with an explosive, at which point the terrorist drew a second knife and tried to stab the bomb squad crew member. Fortunately he did not manage to stab his intended victim, and was instead shot again and critically wounded, later dying of his wounds. The terrorist was identified by Palestinian sources Ayoub Shahada, a resident of Kalandia who had previously been arrested for terrorism and then released. Two more knives were found on his body. [Israel National News, October 17, 2015]

When was Shehadeh released? And after engaging in what kind of terrorism? We hope those details will become known soon. He might be the young man described in this sympathetic 2007 portrait.