‘I'm proud of my son,' says suicide bomber's father

The father of the man believed to have blown himself up outside a Tel Aviv disco, killing 19 teenagers, today said he was ‘‘proud’’ of his son’s actions.

Saeed Hotary, 22, ‘‘was a devout Muslim who used to pray, observed fasting and performed all his religious obligations to the letter and spirit,’’ his father Hassan said.

‘‘I am very happy and proud of what my son did and I hope all the men of Palestine and Jordan would do the same,’’ Hassan said.

He said he believed his son was the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the entrance of the beachfront disco on Friday night.

Abu Dhabi Television also identified the bomber as Saeed Hotary, without citing sources.

But Israeli Embassy officials in Jordan said they could not confirm it was him and Jordanian security officials said they had no record showing that Saeed had political affiliation.

At the entrance of a narrow street leading to the family home in Zarqa, a predominantly Palestinian city 17 miles northeast of the Jordanian capital, Amman, signs hung on electric poles directing people to the home of ‘‘martyr Saeed Hotary.’’

Scribbling painted on the walls of neighbouring homes included one with a heart sign and underneath it the word ‘‘martyr.’’

Plain-clothed security officials guarded the entrance to the house.

Inside the apartment, Saeed’s mother wept as she sat on the floor, surrounded by female relatives and other mourners.

Her husband said he had little information on Saeed because he had left home two years ago.

He said Saeed, an electrician, left to look for a better job in the West Bank and had lived with his brother in the West Bank town of Qalqilya since.

‘‘If he was affiliated with anybody, it could have been a secret and he would not have told anybody... me, or his mother and friends,’’ he said.

He criticised Israel, saying its hardline policies were prompting many young Arab men to become militant.

‘‘We wanted peace, but they have been playing around. Israel has left us no choice, except this (militant) path,’’ he said.

Hotary’s neighbour, Issam Isteteh, described Saeed as ‘‘a good man, who used to spend time in praying in the mosque, but he is not the kind who would think of harming anyone else’’.

He said Saeed was a good friend of Fadi Amer, a Palestinian who blew himself up near Qalqilya on March 28, killing two Israelis.