OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 11 August — Ezzuddin Al-Masri, the 23-year-old Palestinian activist who blew himself up Thursday killing 16 Israelis and wounding about 100 others in the Sbarro Pizzeria restaurant, detonated the bomb after ordering spaghetti from the fast food outlet.
The attack took place during the lunch hour rush.
Al-Masri was among those dashing into the restaurant located on Yafa Street in the downtown area. He was wearing a white T-shirt and sports pants, and a bag around his waste.
After entering the restaurant, he looked at the menu hanging on the wall and then he asked a waiter how much time it would take to prepare a plate of take-away spaghetti.
“Before the waiter could answer, the man put his hand in the bag and detonated the nail-packed bomb,” a restaurant employee told Arab News.
Al-Masri, who came from a family living near the West Bank city of Jenin, frequently expressed his desire to become a martyr by carrying out bombing operations against Israeli occupiers. “This is a unique operation for its quality and success,” his brother Eyad said. “He always spoke of martyrdom. Palestinians everywhere can now hold up their heads in pride.”
