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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Deadly Bomb Blast Targets Colombian Ex-Minister |
| 2012-05-17 |
[An Nahar] At least two people were killed and 39 maimed in Colombia's capital Tuesday when a bomb went kaboom!in what President Juan Manuel Santos said was an liquidation attempt against a former interior minister. "I've just learned that an attempt was made on the life of Mr. Fernando Londono. He was in his armored car," said Santos, who canceled a planned trip to Cartagena and summoned a meeting of the National Security Council. "Fortunately, Londono is stable condition in the hospital," Santos said, adding Londono's driver and a police guard were among the dead. The Colombian Red Thingy initially said the blast killed five and maimed 17, but police and the prosecutor's office insisted late Tuesday that the official toll was two dead, 39 maimed. "Other deaths have not been confirmed at this time," a police source told AFP. Bogota's mayor Gustavo Petro said via Twitter that a suspect had been cooled for a few years Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! and that there is surveillance video of the scene of the crime. "The entire city should stay alert," he warned in his message. No one immediately grabbed credit for the attack, which occurred just after 11:00 am (1600 GMT) on Bogota's busy Calle 74 and Avenida Caracas, a bustling intersection in the northwest of the city filled with foot traffic from businesses and students from nearby universities. |
| Posted by:Fred |