Palestinian Resistance Bomber Kills Seven, Injures 70 in Cafeteria Blast

31/07/2002| IslamWeb

HIGHLIGHTS: Israeli Police Believes It Was a Planted Bomb & Not a Bomber||Unconfirmed Reports Say Hamas Claimed Responsibility||PA Condemns Blast|| STORY: A bomb exploded in a crowded cafeteria at Hebrew University during lunchtime Wednesday, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 70. The blast in the university's Frank Sinatra International Student Center struck a place where Israeli Jews, Arabs and foreign students mix freely, and the school is considered a rare enclave of tolerance after almost two years of Mideast fighting. There was no immediate word on the nationalities of the casualties.

Witnesses initially said they believed a bomber was responsible, but Israeli police said preliminary evidence suggested someone planted the bomb.

"We're talking about an explosive device, apparently not a bomber. It is being checked," said Jerusalem's Deputy Police Chief Ilan Franco.

The windows of the cafeteria were blown out and the floor was covered with pools of blood. Chairs, tables and plates were overturned, wires dangled from the ceiling.

Sirens wailed as rescue vehicles converged to remove the bloodied victims. Sniffer dogs checked for more bombs.

The blast was at the university's Mount Scopus campus, a Jewish enclave surrounded by Palestinian neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city. The university has extremely heavy security.

Seven people were killed and more than 70 were wounded, several of them critically, Israeli officials said.

The militant Hamas movement, which has carried out dozens of bombings, claimed responsibility, according to al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite television broadcaster.

Hamas leaders praised the attack, but several told The Associated Press that the group had not issued any official claim of responsibility.

"Now (the Israelis) are paying the price of killing our children, women and leaders," said Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a leading Hamas figure.

The bombing comes eight days after an Israeli air strike killed a senior Hamas militant in the Gaza Strip, along with 14 other people, including nine children. Hamas had said it would seek revenge.

The Palestinian Authority, led by Yasser Arafat, said in a statement that it "absolutely condemns the attack against Hebrew University."

However, the Palestinian leadership also said it "considers Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon responsible for this cycle of terror."

Arafat, speaking shortly before the attack took place, said Palestinian authorities were "continuing our efforts, and will continue, from every aspect, to stop the violence."

Wednesday's blast came a day after a Palestinian bomber blew himself up at a fast-food stand in Jerusalem, wounding several Israelis. That explosion was also near the dividing line between east and west Jerusalem.

PHOTO CAPTION

Paramedics and volunteers treat victims near the scene of an explosion at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Wednesday, July 31, 2002. A bomb exploded in a crowded cafeteria during lunchtime Wednesday, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 70. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)