NewsMine — war-on-terror — israel — hostilities — 2003 — 03-early — Viewing Item

Suicide blast israeli resort { March 30 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2900185.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2900185.stm Last Updated: Sunday, 30 March, 2003, 13:29 GMT 14:29 UK Suicide blast hits Israeli resort A suicide bomber has blown himself up in the Israeli coastal town of Netanya, injuring around 30 people. The explosion happened outside a cafe located on a busy pedestrian street close to the town's Mediterranean beaches. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad have claimed responsibility for the attack. Only the bomber was killed but four of the wounded were said to be in a serious condition. Witnesses said a man was challenged by security guards as he tried to enter the Cafe London. He then detonated explosives strapped to his body. Deadliest blast "There was a huge explosion," a worker at a nearby fish restaurant told the Associated Press. "I saw two soldiers thrown to the ground and the terrorist was ripped to pieces." Reporting from the scene, the BBC's Richard Miron said glass littered the scene in front of the Cafe London, and among the debris were the remnants of meals left by fleeing lunchtime customers. Television footage showed the mangled body of the bomber outside the cafe. Netanya, about 50 kilometres north of Tel Aviv, has been a frequent target, partly because of its proximity to the West Bank. In March last year, it was the scene of the single deadliest attack in the 30-month Palestinian uprising. A suicide bomber targeted the Park Hotel during Passover, killing 29 people taking part in a holiday meal. Sunday's blast was the first such attack in Israel since a suicide bombing on 5 March killed 17 people on a bus in Haifa. The Islamic militant group Hamas said it was behind that attack. Heightened alert Reacting to the news from Netanya, David Baker, an official in the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, said it was a "brutal reminder of the cruelty of Palestinian terrorism". Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian leadership "condemns targeting civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli." He called on the international community to revive Middle East peace talks. Israel officials say they have been on high alert for possible Palestinian attacks since the start of the US-led war against Iraq. Police had also beefed up patrols because Sunday marked Land Day - an annual day of protests by Israeli Arabs to mark the seizure of their lands in the 1948 Middle East War. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/2900185.stm Published: 2003/03/30 13:29:14 © BBC MMIII

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