Police sources admit that not all of the shots fired on the Temple Mount Sunday came from the gun of All an Harry Goodman, the allegedly deranged American-born Israel army reservist arraigned for the crime, Israel Radio reported today. According to the report on radio and in local newspapers, Goodman was responsible for only one of the two deaths and the wounding of some but not all of the dozen Arabs hit in the shooting spree.
The police sources reportedly said one of the Arabs killed was struck by bullets fired from a direction other than where Goodman was and after Goodman had been overpowered by police and soldiers. If correct, this would lend some credibility to charges by Moslem leaders that Goodman was not acting alone.
The police have suggested that the other shots may have been fired by over-zealous soldiers trying to capture. Goodman. They say their investigation has been hampered by the refusal of Arab officials and hospital staff to hand over spent bullets for forensic and laboratory examination.
Meanwhile, the general strike by Arab merchants in East Jerusalem protesting the shooting was in its fourth day. Israeli security forces went from shop to shop, forcing their owners to re-open. Israel Radio quoted several shopkeepers as saying they would willingly open for business during the peak Passover and Easter pilgrim season were it not for fear of reprisals from Arab extremists.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.