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| Israel-Palestine |
| Nine killed in double suicide bombing at Ashdod port |
| 2004-03-14 |
| JPost - Reg req’d - both boomers were 18 and came from Gaza - a first... At least nine people were killed Sunday and 19 were injured, three in critical condition, in a double suicide bombing at the Ashdod port. Hamas’ military wing Iz a Din al-Kassam and Fatah jointly took responsibility for the bombings on Al-Manar television in Lebanon. A joint statement by the two organizations named the two perpetrators as Nabil Masud and Muhamed Salem, both 18 from the Jalabiyah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. The statement says the operation was in retaliation for "recent Israeli massacres in Gaza and Jenin." It was unclear how the bombers entered into the port’s compound. An Ashdod municipal worker told Channel 2 that he "was shocked" that an attack could take place in the port since "it is well secured." One of the bombers reportedly exploded at the port’s main gate and the second bomber managed to jump the fence which surrounds the facility and blew himself up inside a factory in the compound. Security officials have warned in recent weeks that Palestinians would begin to aim suicide attacks in the south of the country, in the Ashdod area, since it is easier to reach from the southern Hebron hills and since it is close to the Gaza Strip. IAF helicopters were seen circling above the scene of the attack searching for a suspect who is beleived to have driven the bombers to the port. Police have also set up checkpoints along the edges of the city in order to try and nab the suspect. The blasts were heard around 5 p.m., said to be a busy hour during which many workers are around the port area. Rescue services spokesman Yerucham Mendola said "some of the victims were thrown a long distance" by the blasts. Chief of police in the southern district Cmdr. Moshe Kardi said that police are investigating whether the bombers intended to explode next to dangerous chemicals in order to maximize the damage and the number of dead. "Police need to investigate whether the goal of the bombers was to explode near dangerous chemicals that are inside the facility," Kardi said. It was the first attack of its kind at an port during more than three years of Israeli-Palestinian violence. In 111 previous suicide bombing attacks, more than 450 people have been killed. Spokesman for Barzilai Hospital said that the hospital had received four people lightly injured in the attack. IAF helicopters landed at the port in order to help to evacuate the wounded. Police initially believed that the explosions were set off accidentally in a workshop in the port by a gas tank that exploded. |
| Posted by:Frank G |