A previously unknown organization, the "Nobles of Jordan," became the second group to claim responsibility for the Monday night killing of an Israeli in Amman, saying the man was an agent of Israel's secret service, Mossad, according to a television report, cited by AFP.
The claim was broadcast by Al Manar satellite channel, the network of the Lebanese group, Hizbollah. The network said it had received the claim by email overnight.
But sources told Al Jazeera satellite channel that the killing probably had criminal, rather than political, motives.
Jordanian Information Minister Saleh Qallab said earlier Tuesday that Yitzhak Sneir was an Israeli diamond merchant and that his death appeared to be the work of an Israeli gang settling scores.
Israel Radio reported that the victim was a businessman in his 50s, and hailed from the center of Israel.
However, a statement by a militant Islamist group said its members had killed the victim, who was on business in the kingdom and had Jordanian partners.
The Islamist Mujahideen Movement – Ahmad Dagamseh Group claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Al Jazeera. Dagamseh, a Jordanian, was sentenced to life in prison after killing seven Israeli teenage women while a soldier in 1996.
The same group claimed responsibility for an attack on an Israeli diplomat in December.
On December 5 last year, Shlomo Ratzbi, an employee of the Israeli embassy in Jordan, was shot and lightly wounded in Amman by unidentified gunmen who attacked a car in which he was traveling.
In November last year, the vice consul of the embassy, Yoram Havivian, was lightly wounded in Amman by gunmen.
A spokesman for the Israeli embassy denied earlier reports that the national was a diplomat.
"An Israeli citizen, who is not a diplomat, was shot to death in the area of the 7th Circle in Amman," Roey Gilad told AFP.
"Shot were fired at him, killing him instantly," the minister said.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Yaffa Ben Ari was quoted by Haaretz newspaper as confirming that the man was not a diplomat, adding that Jordanian officials were investigating the incident.
Security measures were tightened following the killing, and a veil of secrecy was laid over the details, including the name of the hospital where the dead was taken.
This is the first fatal attack on an Israeli in Amman since Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994 – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
