Body found of missing American woman with marks of violence

Sixteen hours after she was reported missing, the body of the missing American woman Christine Logan was discovered early Sunday, Dec. 19, between Mattan and Beit Shemesh southwest of Jerusalem, bound and bearing marks of brutal violence. Police have cordoned off the area.

The alarm was sounded Saturday afternoon when an Israeli tourist guide, Kaye Susan Wilson, reported they had both been attacked by two Arabs, presumed Palestinians, deep inside the Green line near Mattan. Wilson reached a group of sightseers soon after the attack. She was in serious condition from knife wounds and her hands were bound. Before she was taken to hospital, Kaye reported that Christine had been dragged off by their two assailants. Later, she told the police that she was able to run for safety only after pretending to be dead. 
The investigation has switched from the search for the missing woman to finding her murderers and imposed a court-enforced blackout on the investigation .

From the moment the American woman was reported missing, extensive police, army, border guard, Shin Bet and volunteer forces posted search parties across the Tzur Hadassa, Beirut Illit and Gush Etzion areas after setting up police roadblocks around Jerusalem. A helicopter dropped flares and military sniffer dogs were sent out to follow the trail of the missing woman and her abductors.

The search was resumed at first light Sunday with fresh forces. Christine Logan's body was discovered 08:15.

Jerusalem Police spokesmen have said they were checking several lines of investigation, including Palestinian terrorist action. This vagueness may be attributed to lack of evidence of any crime to support Wilson's account or the disinclination to admit that a violent terrorist crime was possible deep inside the Green Line in an area popular with hikers, picnickers and tourists.