'Revenge' motive for Amman attack

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A gunman who attacked Western tourists in Amman wanted to avenge two brothers killed during Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Jordanian officials say.

A Briton died and five other tourists and a policeman were wounded when Nabil Jaaoura opened fire on them at the capital's Roman amphitheatre on Monday.

Mr Jaaoura, a Jordanian of Palestinian origin, acted alone, officials say.

He waited until his children had grown up before carrying out the attack, according to his confession.

"The criminal admitted during investigations that he wanted to avenge two of his brothers, members of Palestinian organisations, who were killed in an Israeli raid on Lebanon in 1982," government spokesman Nasser Joudeh said.

<a href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5314732.stm" class="">Q&A: Jordan attack</a> <a href="/1/hi/in_pictures/5312734.stm" class="">Aftermath in pictures</a> It was a matter of personal revenge, Mr Joudeh stressed, and the attacker was not affiliated with any terrorist organisation.

Mr Jaaoura is from Zarqa - the home town of al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in Iraq by US forces three months ago.

Five other tourists were injured in Monday's attack - two British women as well as tourists from New Zealand, the Netherlands and Australia.

Eyewitnesses said the attacker approached the tourists shouting "God is great" in Arabic before firing at least 12 shots at the small group.

More than 17,000 people were killed during the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, in which Israel's aim was to drive out fighters belonging the Palestine Liberation Organisation.