|
May 23, 2002
2 killed, 40 wounded by suicide bomber in Rishon Lezion
DAVID RUDGE
At least two people were killed and about 40 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in the heart of Rishon Lezion at about 9:30 last night. It was the second such attack in the city in two weeks.
The explosion occurred near the city promenade at the junction of Herzl and Rothschild streets and, as usual, was crowded with people shopping or simply walking.
Police launched a widespread search for a green car seen by several witnesses leaving the area shortly before the blast and may have transported the suicide bomber to his target.
The Palestinian terrorist apparently positioned himself alongside a group of elderly people who were playing chess and then blew himself up.
According to eyewitnesses, he had dyed blonde hair or a wig and was dressed in youthful style, apparently to disguise his origins and prevent drawing attention to himself.
Police sealed off the entire area after the attack and moved bystanders away in case of other bombs and to enable emergency services to deal with the casualties.
Sappers combed the area as Magen David Adom paramedics gave first aid to the wounded and then evacuated them to hospitals - Assaf Harofeh in Tzrifin, Sheba in Tel Hashomer, and Wolfson in Holon.
Five of the wounded were reported to be in serious condition and they underwent surgery last night. The remainder were reported to be suffering from light-to- moderate wounds and shock.
The identity of the terrorist was not immediately known, nor how he managed to reach the city. Police are investigating the possibility that he may have received aid from Israeli Arabs.
The attack followed the May 7 suicide bombing in a pool hall/casino in the new industrial zone in which 15 people were killed.
Since then, three people were killed in a suicide bombing in the Netanya market on Sunday, in addition to two abortive suicide bombings in the Tanahim area south of Afula, which were thwarted by the alertness of citizens.
Senor security sources reiterated calls to the public to be on full alert amid warnings of further attacks.
Shfela District police chief Asst.-Cmdr. Haim Cohen called for more information from members of the public about the attack and the terrorist.
'According to eyewitnesses, he had a Western European appearance and had short, dyed blonde hair, like that of a punk and certainly not like an Arab. I believe he disguised himself so that he would not stand out in the environment,' Cohen said.
Rishon Lezion Deputy Mayor David Elimelech said the attack occurred near Gan Ha'ir - a place with sheltered benches for people to sit which is often used by the elderly.
Elimelech, standing in for Mayor Meir Nitzan, who is abroad, said it was fortunate the terrorist had not been able to find a target in an enclosed space, where the casualties would have been much worse.
He stressed that there are guards on duty in the area day and night, but that it is impossible to protect every meter of every place in the city.
One of the wounded, Dudu, had been in a nearby gym and had just left after calling his sister and asking her to pick him up. 'I didn't hear anything, but suddenly felt the boom,' he told reporters at Wolfson Hospital.
'I don't know if it was the terrorist or not, or parts of his body [that struck me]. I just ran after I fell down. Everybody ran in all directions,' he said.
There were a lot of elderly people there who had been playing chess. The place is always full. The most important thing is that everybody is okay.'
Labor MK Avi Yehezkel was visiting his parents in Rishon Lezion when the attack took place.
'Most of the people around Gan Ha'ir were older new immigrants playing chess. I saw a number of bodies; it was an awful scene,' he told Itim. 'If they can come to our homes and spill the blood of people who were playing chess a moment before, this means there is no peace. My mother and father are here every night, but not tonight.'
Muhammad Dahlan, head of the Palestinian Authority's Preventive Security Service in the Gaza Strip, told Al- Jazeera TV last night that the attack confirms the failure of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's iron fist policy.
In Memoriam
------------------------------
Back to Timeline »
|
