Man confesses to Jerusalem assault that injured six

JERUSALEM, March 16 (UPI) -- A Palestinian, suspected of attempting to kill Israelis in Jerusalem earlier this month, plotted his actions a week in advance, police said Monday.

A joint statement from Israeli Police and Shin Bet, Israel's security service, said the man, identified as Mohammad Salima or Mohammad Salaima, of East Jerusalem's Palestinian Ras-al-Amud neighborhood, confessed that he intended an attack against Jews and carried an ax in his car. On March 6, coinciding with the Jewish observance of Purim, he struck six police officers and one civilian with his car and was shot by border police as he left his vehicle, carrying the ax.

"What we know is that the suspect went to the old City (of Jerusalem) during the early hours of the morning of the incident to buy an ax, and made the final decision to carry out the attack at the precise location, to kill as many security personnel as possible," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

The incident was the first major example of vehicular terrorism in the area since November.

A judge extended the alleged assailant's remand, keeping him in custody until a formal indictment, expected in the next several days, is filed.