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Hamas backpack bomb not a suicide attack: 5 U.S. citizens killed

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, August 1, 2002

JERUSALEM Ñ Islamic insurgents have blown up an Israeli university cafeteria, killing seven students and injuring more than 85.

Five of the casualties were U.S. citizens. The others included nationals from Turkey and South Korea.

Unlike previous attacks, the bombing was not that of a suicide attacker. Instead, a backpack full of explosives left in the cafeteria of the Hebrew University blew up on Wednesday afternoon. Officials said the bomb was detonated by cellular phone.

The Hamas movement claimed responsibility and on late Wednesday thousands of supporters of the movement celebrated the attack on the university in Gaza City and in the West Bank city of Nablus. The Izzedin Kassam military wing said the attack was to avenge the Israeli air strike last week that killed Hamas leader Salah Shehada.

Authorities said an Islamic insurgent from the neighboring Jerusalem Arab neighborhood of Issawiya slipped a suitcase past university guards. They said the bomb was relatively small but placed in the center of a room full of people.

Officials said Hamas has improved its bomb production and was probably helped by a university worker in the attack. They said the movement has used nitroglycerine and other chemicals to increase the lethality of small bombs.

The Hamas bombing attack took place as Israeli senior ministers discussed new measures to stop Palestinian suicide bombings. The Cabinet committee on security approved a plan meant to impose tougher measures on investigation suspects and in response to suicide attacks.

On Thursday, Israeli police and security forces blocked roads from the West Bank to central Israel. Several Israeli towns along the old 1967 border were sealed as forces searched for suspected Palestinian suicide bombers.

This, as Israeli authorities charged a captured Hamas insurgent of preparing cyanide attacks against Israeli targets.

Israeli government sources said the measures would allow the military to seize assets of suicide bombers, destroy their homes and expel family members. This would include seizing the assets of Israeli Arab citizens, several of whom have been accused of helping Palestinian insurgents.

Last month, under international pressure, Israel backed off from plans to resettle the family of West Bank suicide bombers in the Gaza Strip. But a panel headed by Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi warned in a report to the Cabinet that suicide bombing has become a favorite tactic of Palestinians and must be dealt with in a comprehensive manner.

In the West Bank city of Jenin, an Israeli military unit was said to have found a bomb laboratory in the building of the Palestinian Legislative Council. An Israeli military communique said the laboratory contained 300 kilograms of improvised TATP explosives, 150 kilograms of fertilizer and 30 containers of acid.

In a related development, France is said to have turned down an Israeli request to press the European Union to include Hizbullah on the EU's list of terrorist groups. French President Jacques Chirac dismissed the request submitted by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres during a visit this week to Paris.

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