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| Middle East |
| Suicide Bomber Kills 16 Passengers on Bus |
| 2002-06-05 |
| A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-armed car into a public bus today, blew the vehicle into flaming pieces, and killed 16 passengers on board. The assault marked a departure from the suicide bombings that have rocked Israel for several months. Previously, bombers who targeted buses mostly tried to carry explosives directly on board. This time, the attack came from without, and the blast was much more powerful than the kind produced by explosive belts worn by most of the bombers. Police said the assailant detonated several pounds of explosives. Guess there was something going on in Washington... Israel's army quickly retaliated by sending attack helicopters and tanks into the nearby West Bank city of Jenin. The bomber hailed from Jenin, said Islamic Jihad, which claimed it organized the bus bombing. They need a good strong assault on Gaza to whip up EU opinion... Israeli commentators wondered whether this Megiddo bombing would be the "Big One" that would prod Sharon into expelling Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and formally reoccupying all of the West Bank. It would make sense, but it's doubtful international opinion would stand for it... "Following this attack, there will be no sanctuary and no safe haven for any terrorist," warned Sharon's spokesman Ranaan Gissin. By day's end, Israeli troops were in total control of three West Bank towns: Jenin, Hebron, and Nablus, where soldiers have been hunting for Palestinian militants and terrorist suspects for a week. One Palestinian died when hit by a tank shell in Nablus, Palestinian hospital officials said. Ow. That hadda hurt. But since the idea was "no sanctuary and no safe haven for any terrorist" before, what's gonna change? |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 As long as the US doesn't step in militarily to stop Israel (which won't happen), the Israeli have little downside in squashing the autoboomer factories. The worst the EU would do is to put on an economic embargo, which is unlikely to happen,either. The EUnuchs are all talk and little action. |
| Posted by: Mark Byron 2002-06-05 15:08:31 |
| #1 "International opinion" won't stand for anything Israel does. I say go for it. |
| Posted by: Chris 2002-06-05 12:03:52 |