Nablus man who attacked TA club named as Muhammad Sa’afan

Sa’afan confesses to ramming taxi he carjacked into a police roadblock outside of a crowded nightclub.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Tel Aviv terror attack 311 (photo credit: REUTERS/ Nir Elias)
Tel Aviv terror attack 311
(photo credit: REUTERS/ Nir Elias)
A 21-year-old Palestinian from Nablus who launched a terrorist attack in south Tel Aviv on Monday has been identified as Muhammad Sa’afan.
Sa’afan confessed to ramming a taxi he carjacked into a police roadblock outside of a crowded nightclub, running down two officers, and then stabbing six additional policemen and club security staff.
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The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court extended his custody by 10 days on Tuesday.
Police said the Haoman 17 nightclub on Abarbanel Street was filled with more than 1,000 teenagers celebrating the end of summer, adding that they were the intended target of the attack.
Sa’afan entered Israel illegally on Sunday. He hailed a taxi, and brandishing a knife to eject the driver, Nahmaz Azi.
After a brief struggle in which Azi was wounded, Sa’afan commandeered the vehicle and drove to the club, where a Border Police roadblock prevented him from reaching his intended victims.
He ran over two policemen and stabbed six policemen and club staff; one policeman was seriously wounded.
Israel Police Insp.-Gen.
Yohanan Danino praised the Border Police for “preventing a disaster.”