Jordanian slain in Rome called Arafat's cousin

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Transcribed from the clipping

ROME—A Libyan embassy employe, a Jordanian who is believed to have been a member of the Palestinian Al Fatah terrorist organization, was shot dead Monday night outside his suburban apartment. The victim, 38-year-old Abdel Weil Zuaiter of Nablus, Jordan, was described yesterday by Al Fatah in Beirut as the organization's representative for Italy.

It said he was a “martyr” and a “hero” of the Palestinian cause, “assassinated” by Israeli secret-service operatives. Rome's left-wing newspapers said he had been a member of the terrorist organization but was an intellectual rather than an activist.

A Jordanian embassy official said Zuaiter was a nephew of Akram Zuaiter, Jordan's ambassador in Beirut, but declined to confirm the report by a Roman newspaper that he was also a second cousin of Yasir Arafat, leader of Al Fatah. Police in Rome and elsewhere said the murder had been “carefully planned” and was quite likely politically motivated.

Eight bullets were fired into Zuaiter in the courtyard of his apartment building. Neighbors told police they had seen two men fire at him and then escape in a waiting car. Police said Zuaiter, who officially was a “translator” for the Libyan embassy, had been ideologically involved in activities on behalf of Palestinian refugees and guerrillas.

He was the fifth son of a distinguished Jordanian intellectual. Two of his brothers were killed four years ago during an Israeli incursion into Lebanon.

How this transcription was made

Masthead not readable on the scan. The label on the slide read: [masthead not on clipping] — Single clipping. The slide's other image is the Tribune's version of the same story and is recorded separately; the two should be read together. — No masthead in frame. The only credit on the page is "(C) New York Times News Service", which identifies the supplying service, NOT the publishing paper. Maria's label says The Courier Journal; nothing on the page confirms or contradicts it. Worth flagging for the archive: a record filed under The Courier Journal on the strength of this scan rests entirely on the label. Note also that the credit line reads "New York Times News Service" without the definite article, where the clipping on slide 5 reads "Special to The New York Times" — different strings, same paper, and the archive should not let the former create a second publication. — No printed date. The story says Zuaiter was shot dead "Monday night" and was described by Al Fatah "yesterday". Zwaiter was killed on Monday 16 October 1972, and the Fatah statement came the next day, which places publication on Wednesday 18 October — a day later than the Tribune version on this same slide, which says "today" and "this morning". Maria's label of 18 October fits this one well. Year not printed. — Printed as set: "employe"; "Abdel Weil Zuaiter" (the Tribune version on this slide prints "Abdel Wael Zuaiter"); "Nablus, Jordan". The quotation marks around "martyr", "hero", "assassinated", "carefully planned" and "translator" are all on the page. — Set over three lines: "Jordanian slain" / "in Rome called" / "Arafat's cousin".

Cite this clipping

"Jordanian slain in Rome called Arafat's cousin," (newspaper unidentified), 18 October 1972. Covering Palestine archive, CP-1972-050. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-1972-050