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Politics : WAR on Terror. Will it engulf the Entire Middle East? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (1166)	12/9/2001 9:40:27 AM
From: Haim R. Branisteanu	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 32591

(07:45) Suicide bombing in Haifa, second bomb found By The Jerusalem Post Internet Staff A suicide bomber blew himself up a few minutes ago adjacent to a bus stop at the Checkpost Junction near Haifa. Thirty one people were hospitalized in the wake of the attack, according to a government statement. Casualties have been admitted to Rambam, Carmel and Bnai Zion hospitals in Haifa according to Magen David Adom spokesmen. Dr. Zvi Ben-Ishai, deputy director at Rambam hospital, said 11 wounded had been brought in, and "most of them were very slightly wounded by shrapnel." Two people also arrived at Ha'emek Hospital in Afula suffering from trauma. The bomber was killed in the blast. Two police officers spotted the man, who aroused their suspicion, before the explosion. They fired at the bomber before he detonated the nail and screw-studded device he was wearing. It is unclear if they wounded the bomber before he detonated the bomb. Northern District police chief Cmdr. Ya'acov Borovsky said the bomber intended to carry out the attack on a northbound bus. Borovsky said the bomber's identity was unknown. Minutes after the blast, flames leaped from the body of the bomber lying on the street just in front of the bus stop, which was only slightly damaged. The bomber planned two blasts, according to an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity. He said the attacker intended to set off a small explosion, drawing rescue workers to the scene, and then detonate a larger bomb. However, police shot him as he was setting off the first bomb, the official said. Firefighters, crouching behind a traffic barrier in the middle of the road, fearing additional blasts, aimed a fire hose at the burning body. Sappers found and blew up a second belt-bomb in a controlled explosion at the scene of the attack. A third bomb was discovered a few minutes ago, according to Army Radio. It did not explode. No group has taken responsibility for the attack. Two Environment Ministry mobile units are at the scene checking for traces of chemical or biological weapons in light of recent military Intelligence reports. Haifa area head Reuven Robert told Israel Radio this is the first time such units have been used in the Haifa district. He said samples were taken for laboratory analysis. The intersection is heavily traveled Sunday mornings. The area was reopened to traffic a short time ago. There are heavy traffic jams in the vicinity. This was the second attack in Haifa in a week. Last Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up on a Haifa bus, killing himself and 15 other people, a day after two suicide bombers hit downtown Jerusalem, killing 10 people. In related news, IAF helicopter gunships fired missiles at Palestinian Intelligence and Force 17 headquarters in Rafah, southern Gaza, early yesterday. Both sites were empty, as the Palestinians had evacuated their personnel prior to the attack, and thus no one was wounded. The attack was the second on Palestinian targets within 24 hours. haaretzdaily.com

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (1166)	12/9/2001 10:29:08 AM
From: Scoobah	Respond to of 32591

Arafat admits total control and yet another blast? Has he indicted himself this time? And, does anyone really care? Haifa suicide bomber injures 8; PM threatens to step up actions By David Ratner and Haim Shadmi, Ha'aretz Correspondents, Ha'aretz Service and Agencies Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened Sunday that Israel could step up military operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in retaliation for a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings. Speaking to reporters shortly after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in the northern city of Haifa, Sharon said: "We have not finished our operations. In light of what is happening, we may have to step up our activities." Eight people suffered light-to-moderate injuries when the suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at a hitch-hiking post near the Checkpost Junction in Haifa just after 7:30 A.M. on Sunday. About twenty others suffered from shock. All of the wounded were all taken to Haifa area hospitals for treatment. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Palestinian sources said the bomber was 20-year-old Namir Sayfan from the village for Yamon, near the West Bank city of Jenin. Family members said that he had left a letter saying that the attack was in retaliation for Israeli actions against Palestinians, but did not state to which organization he belonged. The Palestinian Authority condemned the attack and promised to arrest and try those responsible for the attack. It also said that the attack was a result of Israeli aggression. "We condemn the attack, we will bring to trial those responsible in a Palestinian court," said a senior PA official. Police were on alert for the possibility that another suicide bomber is in the area. They are also searching for those who helped the attacker get to Haifa. Northern Police Commander Yaakov Borovsky said that two police officers noticed the suicide bomber in the area prior to the attack. He said that the bomber, who was seriously wounded in the blast, was shot and killed by police who feared that he had another bomb he intended to detonate. The bomber planned two blasts, according to an Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity. He said the attacker intended to set off a small explosion, drawing rescue workers to the scene, and then detonate a larger bomb. However, police shot him as he was setting off the first bomb, the official said. Minutes after the blast, flames leaped from the body of the bomber lying on the street just in front of the bus stop, which was only slightly damaged. Israeli firefighters, crouching behind a traffic barrier in the middle of the road, fearing additional blasts, aimed a fire hose at the burning body. Borovsky also said that the bomber intended to detonate the device at the junction itself where there were more people, but that he was diverted to a nearby side street because of the large police presence there. "The terrorist looked suspicious and blew himself up when [a police officer] made eye contact," Borovsky said, adding that a large number of police had been deployed in the area due to an alert of a terror attack. Police and emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the attack and the area is now open to traffic. Sappers detonated another explosive device found in the immediate area of the blast. They are continuing their search and checking for dangerous chemical substances. Israel Radio reported that the search was only a precaution and that there was no specific reason to believe that such substances had been used.