Palestinian terrorist indicted for fatal stabbing of UK student in Jerusalem

Jameel Tamimi, 57, was formally accused in the Jerusalem District Court for the murder of exchange student Hannah Bladon.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated: MAY 12, 2017 00:56
Hannah Bladon, the victim of a stabbing attack at Jerusalem's light rail. (photo credit: MAARIV)
Hannah Bladon, the victim of a stabbing attack at Jerusalem's light rail.
(photo credit: MAARIV)
Jameel Tamimi was indicted in the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday for the murder of Hannah Bladon, a 20-year-old British exchange student stabbed to death on April 14 on the Jerusalem Light Rail.
According to the indictment filed by the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office, the attack took place extremely close to the Old City, where tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe were observing Passover and Easter.
Scene of stabbing attack on Jerusalem light rail in which British student Hannah Bladon was killed , on April 14, 2017 (credit: REUTERS)
Tamimi, 57, a resident of east Jerusalem’s Ras el-Amud neighborhood, purchased a large knife, 30.5-centimeters long and 18.5-cm. wide, at 10:30 a.m.
on the day of the murder.
Between noon and 12:30, Tamimi called his two sons to arrange a visit.
Both rejected his request and suggested he return to the Kfar Shaul Mental Health Center from where he had recently been released.
The indictment said the conversations angered Tamimi into making an immediate decision to commit murder with the knife.
After convincing a bystander at the Damascus Gate stop to buy a light rail ticket for him, Tamimi boarded a train heading toward the center of town at approximately 1 p.m.
Tamimi selected Bladon as being short and unable to resist, then waited until her back was turned. He then stabbed her several times both in her back and in her chest as she tried to run away.
The stabbing stopped when Tamimi was tackled by a another passenger.
“The suspect was taken to Jerusalem’s police headquarters for questioning, where it was confirmed that it was a terrorist attack,” Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said at the time.
Bladon’s family said they were devastated by her murder, in a statement issued through the British Foreign Office.
“Hannah was the most caring, sensitive and compassionate daughter you could ever wish for,” the statement said.
“She was a talented student and was studying at Birmingham University for a degree in religion, theology and archeology.”
The family noted that Bladon was actively involved in the community and, as part of an exchange program at Hebrew University, had taken part in an archeological dig on the morning of her death.
Bladon began her studies at the university in January and was expected to complete the program in September.
Meanwhile on Thursday, Malik Hamad was indicted for murder in the IDF West Bank courts for the April 6 ramming of two soldiers and two civilians at a bus stop at the Ofra junction, killing 20-year-old Sgt. Elchai Teharlev and lightly wounding others.
Hamad was also accused of other attempted murders and of being a member of Hamas.
Daniel K. Eisenbud contributed to this report.