|
At
Least 16 Killed, 50 Injured in Bomb Attack Outside Tel Aviv
 |
|
The
pool hall in Rishon Letsion after the blast
|
RISHON
LETSION, Israel, May 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - At least 16
people were killed and 50 others injured late Tuesday, May 7, when a
Palestinian strolled into the middle of a crowded pool hall on the
southern outskirts of Tel Aviv and blew himself up.
In
an anonymous phone call to AFP in Jerusalem, a man who said he
represented the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the
Hamas Islamic resistance movement, claimed responsibility for the
attack.
"We
claim the responsibility for Rishon Letsion," claimed the caller.
"We
are going to attack within this week and declare the holy war against
all the Israelis for what happened last month in Jenin camp by the
Israeli army," he said. The attack struck around 11:00 pm (2000
GMT) and caused a ceiling in the building to collapse on top of people
in a banquet hall on an adjoining floor, BBC reported.
"There
was a massive blast that really hit you in the face," said one
witness. One police official said the bomber appeared to have carried
the explosives into the Spiel club, in the industrial suburbs of Tel
Aviv, in a large suitcase.
Officials
said several of the injured were taken to hospital in critical
condition. The Israeli daily newspaper, Ha’aretz, said on its
website that 11 of the injured were in serious condition.
Witnesses
said the impact of the blast caused the third floor ceiling of the
building to collapse, and that the entire club appeared to be
destroyed.
Police
at the scene said the bomber had coolly walked through the door, past
people shooting pool and headed for the back of the room, where he
detonated his device.
Police
said they had not yet managed to get all of the bodies and possible
survivors out of the building. It was not immediately clear how many
people were inside the building at the time of the explosion.
They
also said there was no security guard at the entrance to the club.
"This
was the only place that didn't have a guard," said 23-year-old
student Roy, pointing to other bars in the vicinity that he said were
all staffed by armed doormen.
|
