ISRAEL - Breaking--Jerusalem, 2 suicide bombers, 1 car bomb in crowded area

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At least 130 wounded, must be some dead, no numbers yet. Live pics on Fox.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001

Answers

Suicide Bombers Blast Jerusalem Mall

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Story Filed: Saturday, December 01, 2001 6:20 PM EST

JERUSALEM (AP) -- Two suicide bombers detonated powerful explosives in a crowded pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem late Saturday, killing themselves and at least six people and wounding more than 130, police and paramedics said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said it was ``one of the worst (attacks) we have ever seen.''

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups have threatened to carry out attacks in Israel to avenge the killing of Hamas' military leader in the West Bank in an Israeli missile attack last week.

The back-to-back blasts went off sometime before midnight Saturday. ``There were lots of limbs and dead bodies,'' said Michael Perry, 37, who ran out of a bar along the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall after hearing the explosions. ``I saw three dead and what looked like the remains of the suicide bomber. It was just a lump of something,'' Perry said.

Another bystander, Eli Shetreet, 19, said he saw bodies being hurled in the air. ``A lot of people were crying, falling, and there was the smell of burning hair,'' he said.

The blasts were so powerful that they shattered the windows of cars parked a block away. Blood splattered store fronts. Patrons of cafes huddled indoors, behind closed doors. A young man and woman sitting in the corner of one cafe held on to each other. Teen-age girls and boys were screaming and crying into mobile phones, talking to their parents, trying to find their friends in the chaos.

Shortly after the suicide bombings, an explosion went off in a car parked near the mall, said Police Chief Mickey Levy. Apparently no one was hurt in that explosion. At the sound of the third explosion, pedestrians ran up the street in a panic.

Paramedics said at least 130 people were wounded, many of people in their late teens and 20s. Among the wounded were 11 in very serious condition.

``This is a great catastrophe. There are many, many casualties,'' said Health Minister Nissim Dahan, who was touring area hospitals. ``We are almost at the limit of our capacity to take in the wounded.''

The Ben Yehuda mall is usually packed with young Israelis on Saturday evening. The mall has been the target of suicide attacks in the past, including in 1997.

Just up the block, on the corner of King George and Jaffa streets, a suicide bomber blew himself up last summer in a crowded pizzeria, killing himself and 15 diners.

Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, did not claim responsibility on behalf of the group, but said Hamas would continue carrying out attacks.

``We have said several times that we are not goint to accept the occupation to remain in our land,'' Rantisi said. ``We are fighting Jewish terrorism, we are fighting the killers and defending our freedom, our stability and our dignity.''

Saturday's bombings came only two days after an Islamic Jihad militant blew himself up on an Israeli bus, killing three passengers and himself.

The attacks also came at a time when a senior U.S. envoy, retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, is trying to secure a cease-fire. However, since Zinni's arrival last week, there has been an upsurge in violence, especially by Palestinian militants trying to derail his mission. Zinni has said he would not be deterred by violence, and would stay in the region as long as it takes.

Copyright © 2001 Associated Press Information Services, all rights reserved.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2001


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=13924

12:48 Dec-02-01, 17 Kislev 5762

10 Dead – 40 Wounded in Haifa Attack (IsraelNationalNews.com) Ten persons are confirmed dead according to police reports and forty are wounded according to emergency medical service officials. Of the 40, 13-15 are in grave condition.

A bomb exploded on a No. 16 bus according to Egged Bus Company spokesman Ron Ratner. According to Ratner, the bus left the N’vei Sha’anan neighborhood at about 12:00pm, traveling via Halissa towards the Hadar neighborhood.

A bomb blew up in the Halissa neighborhood at the intersection of Yad L’Banim and HaGiborim Streets and appears to have involved a second bus.

At this time, information remains unclear due to the magnitude of the carnage in this latest terror attack.

Police are reporting one of the buses plummeted about 100 meters (yards) following the blast. It is unknown if the explosion was from a suicide bomber or a bomb was placed on the bus. Police are confirming the damage is devastating, attesting to the size of the explosive device.

EMS officials report at this time all the wounded have been transported from the scene. Most of the wounded were transported to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa but some were taken to the Carmel and Bnei Tzion Hospitals.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


13:41 Dec-02-01, 17 Kislev 5762

Hamas Claims Responsibility for Haifa Attack

(IsraelNationalNews.com) The Hamas terror organization has released a statement published by Al-Jazeera, claiming responsibility for the fatal bombing attack against a No. 16 bus in Haifa. At this time, 10 persons are confirmed dead and 40 wounded, including 15 in grave condition.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-israel- explosion1202dec02.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dnationworld%2Dheadlines

Bomb Rips Through Bus in N. Israel

By Associated Press

December 2, 2001, 6:05 AM EST

JERUSALEM -- An explosion tore through a bus on Sunday in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, killing 10 people and injuring at least 40, police said.

Rescue service official Avi Zohar said 15 of the injured people were critically wounded.

Israeli security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a suicide bomber had set off the explosives. Witnesses said a second bus was damaged in the blast.

Haim Erovsky, a witness, told Israel Radio that the stricken bus "is totally burned out, charred." He said it was at a busy intersection.

The bombing came just 12 hours after two suicide bombers blew themselves up on the pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem, killing 10 young Israeli bystanders and wounding more than 150.

After the Jerusalem attack, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to cut short his trip to the United States. His meeting with President Bush was advanced to later Sunday, and Sharon was expected to return home shortly afterward, officials in his office said. Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


And it appears there was some sort of bus bomb after the Jerusalem attack. I'm having mouse problems so perhaps someone can cut and paste the article from a link at Lucianne. Bound to be over there.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


Managed to get this c&p'd:

PA Evacuating Offices Throughout Autonomous Areas

(IsraelNationalNews.com) PA officials and military commanders are running for cover as Israel Air Force helicopter gunships can be seen in the skies over autonomous area. PA commanders are evacuating all military bases and other PA offices are being emptied of personnel as well.

There has been no official statement released from Israeli officials. No additional information is available at this time.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


14:19 Dec-02-01, 17 Kislev 5762

Update on Haifa Attack – 14 Dead

(IsraelNationalNews.com) Following is an update on details of the Haifa bombing attack targeting a civilian passenger bus. Details are beginning to fall into place but there is still an element of confusion, including information from official sources and facts are likely to change as more information becomes available.

BUS BEGAN ITS ROUTE AT NOON At about 12:00pm, an Egged No. 16 bus left the N’vei Sha’anan neighborhood of Haifa, traveling on Yad L’Banim. About 100 meters ahead of HaGiborim Junction, the blast occurred and the bus veered out of control and began veering into the opposite direction towards Herzl Street, opposing the flow of traffic, striking a wall. The bus was totally destroyed by the blast.

UPDATE FROM NORTHERN POLICE SPOKESMAN SUPERINTENDENT YEHUDA MAMAN Two buses traveling from N’vei Sha’anan traveling down towards the Hadar section of Haifa were hit in the bomb attack that took place shortly after noon Sunday. A No. 16 and No. 17 bus were hit. It appears that a suicide terrorist got onto the No. 165 bus at Halissa Junction.

38 persons were transported to areas hospitals.

HOSPITAL UPDATE Rambam Medical Center – 13 victims – 2 died in surgery, 2 remain in grave condition, other serious and moderate.

Bnei Tzion Hospital – 8 victims - 1 moderate & 7 in light condition.

Carmel Hospital – 4 victims – All in light condition.

At this time, there is no explanation as to the whereabouts of the others reportedly wounded in the attack.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION NUMBERS 1. Rambam Medical Center - 12-55-144 2. Bnei Tzion Hospital – 12-55-145 3. Carmel Hospital – 12-55-142 4. Haifa municipality – 12-12-466-106

As we post this update, the death toll has risen to 14. All The Latest News

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001


I expect that it'll be war this week in Israel.

-- Anonymous, December 02, 2001

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