East J'lem man killed trying to run down police

Border Police shot dead an East Jerusalem driver yesterday who tried to run down officers securing the demolition of the family home of a terrorist who killed three Israelis in a bulldozer attack in July.

The officers, three of whom were lightly hurt in the attack, were deployed to prevent possible riots sparked by the demolition in Sur Baher.

However, clashes erupted after the shooting. Some 50 Palestinians threw stones at Border Police, who responded by firing tear gas at the crowd. A few hours beforehand, a wrecking crew began destroying the home of Hussam Duwiyat, 30.

"One terrorist who was driving a vehicle attempted to run over a number of Border Police," said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. "The three border police were lightly wounded on the legs when the vehicle hit them. They opened fire and shot and killed the terrorist at the scene."

Police had set up a roadblock about one kilometer from the site to secure the area, Rosenfeld said. The evidence at the scene and police testimony indicate that the driver - Iyad Awisat, a 20-year-old man from nearby Jabal Mukkaber - crashed into the roadblock in the main square in Sur Baher with the intention of killing police officers, though locals called the incident a traffic accident and said police were too quick to shoot.

"They killed the fellow in cold blood, and I stand behind my word," said Sur Baher community leader Zuhir Hamdan.

Police are conducting an investigation to determine whether the officers at the scene adhered to regulations.

A previously unknown group calling itself the Free Jerusalem Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack, but security officials said the driver appears to have acted alone.

"The officers acted with determination, as is expected of them," said Jerusalem police chief Aharon Franco.

Noam Shavit, 31, the Border Police officer who commanded the force deployed in Sur Baher, said security forces had been warned that riots could break out. "We were deployed in the square in order to prevent riots as a result of the destruction of the home," he said. "We had warnings and intelligence information that villagers may try to attack us."

Shavit said the incident was clearly a terrorist attack.

"Suddenly we saw a car driving like mad into the square and hitting three officers," he said. "I recognized that it was a terrorist attack. I had no doubt. It was clearly not an accident, with the speed and direction that the car was headed into the officers. He did not try to slow down. I fired at him a number of times, and officers at a lookout position did the same."

The U.S. State Department criticized Israel for razing the house, saying demolitions and evictions "aren't helpful."

State Department spokesman Robert Wood called on both Israel and the Palestinians to avoid taking steps that are "divisive and that are going to increase tensions in the region."