(09 December, 2001-09:04am) At least seventeen persons sustained light and moderate injuries in a Sunday morning suicide bombing attack at Haifa’s Checkpost Junction, a location that is very busy with soldiers returning to their bases following Sabbath leave. A lone suicide bomber detonated a bomb at 7:30am.
Northern District Police Chief Yaakov Borovski reports the bomb was relatively small. In addition, it is believed that security personnel assigned to the area made eye contact with the terrorist, prompting him to detonate the blast prematurely. These factors police believe contributed to the fact that a relatively small number of persons were wounded, sustained light injuries, and there were no fatalities.
Police a short time ago discovered a second bomb at the scene and are working to neutralize it. Bomb experts are not ruling out that the second device was actually part of the suicide bombers explosive that fell off.
The blast occurred at a soldiers’ hitchhiking post and next to a bus stop heading in the direction of Nesher. A fire that resulted from the explosion was quickly extinguished by firefighters without incident.
The wounded were transported to the Rambam, Carmel and Bnei Tzion Hospitals. The emergency numbers operating are, Carmel Hospital – 12-55-142 and Rambam Medical Center – 12-55-144.
The assistant director of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, Dr. Tzvi Ben-Yishai, reports receiving 13 victims with 12 in light condition and one moderate.
A HazMat (hazardous materials) team was dispatched to the attack scene by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs. It appears this has now become a new standard protocol. They are inspecting remains at the scene and tests will be conducted to rule out the use of biological and/or chemical agents in the latest attack.
It has been learned that one of three bombs detonated on Saturday night in Jerusalem a week ago contained an over-the-counter rat poison that police believe was included to strike emergency responders operating at that scene.
Borovski stressed that there is no reason to believe that this morning’s bomb contained any non-conventional substance, stressing the testing on the scene by environmental experts was a precautionary measure.
At this time, the scene of the attack remains closed as officials continue operating at that location. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to distance themselves from the area and use alternate routes.
Northern District Police Chief Yaakov Borovski reports the bomb was relatively small. In addition, it is believed that security personnel assigned to the area made eye contact with the terrorist, prompting him to detonate the blast prematurely. These factors police believe contributed to the fact that a relatively small number of persons were wounded, sustained light injuries, and there were no fatalities.
Police a short time ago discovered a second bomb at the scene and are working to neutralize it. Bomb experts are not ruling out that the second device was actually part of the suicide bombers explosive that fell off.
The blast occurred at a soldiers’ hitchhiking post and next to a bus stop heading in the direction of Nesher. A fire that resulted from the explosion was quickly extinguished by firefighters without incident.
The wounded were transported to the Rambam, Carmel and Bnei Tzion Hospitals. The emergency numbers operating are, Carmel Hospital – 12-55-142 and Rambam Medical Center – 12-55-144.
The assistant director of Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, Dr. Tzvi Ben-Yishai, reports receiving 13 victims with 12 in light condition and one moderate.
A HazMat (hazardous materials) team was dispatched to the attack scene by the Ministry of Environmental Affairs. It appears this has now become a new standard protocol. They are inspecting remains at the scene and tests will be conducted to rule out the use of biological and/or chemical agents in the latest attack.
It has been learned that one of three bombs detonated on Saturday night in Jerusalem a week ago contained an over-the-counter rat poison that police believe was included to strike emergency responders operating at that scene.
Borovski stressed that there is no reason to believe that this morning’s bomb contained any non-conventional substance, stressing the testing on the scene by environmental experts was a precautionary measure.
At this time, the scene of the attack remains closed as officials continue operating at that location. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to distance themselves from the area and use alternate routes.