A heroic security guard prevented a Palestinian suicide terrorist from entering a crowded Tel Aviv coffee house late last night, but the ensuing murderous explosion killed three innocent people - and seriously wounded the guard. The number of victims in the Palestinians' terrorism war against Israel in 2003 now stands at 71.
The names of the three victims were released one by one during the course of the day. Yannai Weiss, 46, of Holon, was buried late this afternoon in Rishon LeTzion. A computer analyst and a part-time musician who played guitar once a week at Mike's Place, he is survived by his wife and two sons. Ron Baron, 24, of Tel Aviv, will be buried tomorrow afternoon. The third victim is Caroline Dominique, 29, of Tel Aviv. Her parents, who live in France, wish to bury their daughter in France - and are awaiting a decision from the striking Histadrut Labor Union as to whether to allow El Al to fly its Paris flight tomorrow morning. The union's "exceptions committee" earlier decided to allow planeloads of March of the Living participants to land in Israel tomorrow.
The terrorist attempted to enter Mike's Place at 1AM this morning, but the guard refused to allow him in when he could not produce identification. The Arab then detonated a medium-sized charge on his body, killing three and wounding 55, 17 of whom are still hospitalized. Mike's Place is located on Tel Aviv's oceanfront boardwalk, in close proximity to the United States Embassy. Another branch of the establishment was targeted in a carbomb attack in Jerusalem four months ago, but no one was hurt.
Emergency medical staff in Tel Aviv hospitals - who are treating the victims despite the Histadrut strike - reported that the wounded sustained burns in the attack, but that there are fewer shrapnel injuries than seen in past bombings. Ichilov Hospital Director Prof. Gabi Barabash says that the injuries are similar to those in the June 2001 Dolphinarium discotheque attack - mainly young people with serious burns. Six of the wounded are listed in serious condition, while the wounds of four are described as moderate. The IDF Spokesman said that 11 of the injured are soldiers, all of whom maintained light wounds.
An eyewitness sitting in an adjacent restaurant told Ynet: "I saw a fat man arrive at the entrance to Mike's Place. An argument broke out between him and the security guard. Suddenly, I heard an explosion. The guard prevented his entrance to the coffee house, and he blew himself up right there."
A manhunt was launched immediately afterwards for a suspect who assisted in the attack. He was almost subdued by a cab driver and a security guard, but wiggled away and escaped, leaving them holding only his jacket - which they transferred to the police. The murderous attack, perpetrated by a resident of Tul Karem, was a joint Hamas-Fatah enterprise.
The names of the three victims were released one by one during the course of the day. Yannai Weiss, 46, of Holon, was buried late this afternoon in Rishon LeTzion. A computer analyst and a part-time musician who played guitar once a week at Mike's Place, he is survived by his wife and two sons. Ron Baron, 24, of Tel Aviv, will be buried tomorrow afternoon. The third victim is Caroline Dominique, 29, of Tel Aviv. Her parents, who live in France, wish to bury their daughter in France - and are awaiting a decision from the striking Histadrut Labor Union as to whether to allow El Al to fly its Paris flight tomorrow morning. The union's "exceptions committee" earlier decided to allow planeloads of March of the Living participants to land in Israel tomorrow.
The terrorist attempted to enter Mike's Place at 1AM this morning, but the guard refused to allow him in when he could not produce identification. The Arab then detonated a medium-sized charge on his body, killing three and wounding 55, 17 of whom are still hospitalized. Mike's Place is located on Tel Aviv's oceanfront boardwalk, in close proximity to the United States Embassy. Another branch of the establishment was targeted in a carbomb attack in Jerusalem four months ago, but no one was hurt.
Emergency medical staff in Tel Aviv hospitals - who are treating the victims despite the Histadrut strike - reported that the wounded sustained burns in the attack, but that there are fewer shrapnel injuries than seen in past bombings. Ichilov Hospital Director Prof. Gabi Barabash says that the injuries are similar to those in the June 2001 Dolphinarium discotheque attack - mainly young people with serious burns. Six of the wounded are listed in serious condition, while the wounds of four are described as moderate. The IDF Spokesman said that 11 of the injured are soldiers, all of whom maintained light wounds.
An eyewitness sitting in an adjacent restaurant told Ynet: "I saw a fat man arrive at the entrance to Mike's Place. An argument broke out between him and the security guard. Suddenly, I heard an explosion. The guard prevented his entrance to the coffee house, and he blew himself up right there."
A manhunt was launched immediately afterwards for a suspect who assisted in the attack. He was almost subdued by a cab driver and a security guard, but wiggled away and escaped, leaving them holding only his jacket - which they transferred to the police. The murderous attack, perpetrated by a resident of Tul Karem, was a joint Hamas-Fatah enterprise.