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| Central Asia | |
| Blasts hit embassies in Tashkent | |
| 2004-07-30 | |
| At least two explosions have been reported outside the US and Israeli embassies in Uzbek capital, Tashkent. Uzbek police and anti-terrorism officials said they had no information on casualties. The blasts came soon after the trials began for people accused of involvement in a series of bomb attacks and shootings in late March. There were also reports of a blast at the prosecutor's office, where several people are said to have been wounded. Additional: TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (AP) - Suicide bombers hit the U.S. and Israeli embassies Friday, killing at least two Uzbeks, news reports and police said. A third blast hit the general prosecutor's office and caused "deaths," a Russian news agency reported. The Interfax news agency said a man with an explosive belt on his waist detonated bomb outside the American Embassy and Uzbek security forces surrounded the compound, stopping all traffic. Israel radio said the attack on the Israeli Embassy also was a suicide assault and that one of the dead there was an Uzbek security guard. The radio said all the Israeli personnel were safe inside the embassy building, while Uzbek security forces conducted searches in the area. The explosion occurred on the pavement at the entrance to the embassy, the radio said. There is a significant Jewish population in Uzbekistan. Interfax reported there were deaths in the explosion at the general prosecutor's office, citing an unnamed source at the office. In Washington, a State Department official confirmed that the department had "received reports of a bombing outside the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent." The official had no information on casualties and said it was not clear if the embassy was the target.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 at least at the embassies the attacks essentially failed. Await word on what happened at Prosecutors office. Local IMU's, or outside AQ, or somebody else? |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-07-30 9:31:43 AM |