Last update - 00:00 04/10/2006
Israeli man says he escaped abduction by W. Bank terrorists
By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent
An Israeli businessman on Wednesday told police he escaped a kidnapping attempt by Palestinian terrorists near the settlement of Upper Modi'in in the West Bank.
The man said six armed Palestinians showed up at the concrete factory in his ownership on Wednesday morning, asking him and a forklift driver to accompany them.
In response, the man drew his gun and opened fire, hitting one of his would-be abductors, he claimed. Police found blood stains and a yarmulke which they suspect belonged to the assailants who managed to flee the area.
Security forces launched a massive search to find the suspects.
Police have not ruled out a criminal motive for the incident, which they called "strange" and atypical of the mode of operation used by Palestinian terrorists.