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CNN Live Today

Suicide Bomber Strikes Northern Israeli Town

Aired April 10, 2002 - 10:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are also following the escalating crisis in the Middle East, of course. A Palestinian suicide bomber carries out the deadly mission on a crowded bus near the northern Israeli town of Haifa.

And that is where Chris Burns is today with the latest -- Chris, hello.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, it was on this strip of highway here about six miles south of the Mediterranean port of Haifa, where the explosion occurred on a busload of bleary-eyed early-morning commuters on their way from Haifa on to Jerusalem.

The police say that the suicide bomber was a man with an explosive belt attached to him, wrapped around him. He got on the bus near the industrial outskirts of Haifa, got on and a few minutes later, the bomb went off.

And according witnesses, they say that the bus -- the explosion was so intense the bus was raised off the ground by the blast, and the blast also strew bodies and body parts across this part of asphalt here as well. I am going to show you also over this way, for yards and yards, strewn bodies and body parts also in this field of this nearby kibbutz.

We talked to one of the members of the team that retrieved some of the bodies, and this is what he had to say. He arrived about 20 minutes after the bomb blast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISAAC, EMERGENCY WORKER: The condition, for sure, you know, that it is not (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of that condition. As far as the parts from this bomb, you know, you never find a whole body. There were many bodies, the bus was almost full, but a lot of parts of bodies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Splattered blood remains on the asphalt here from the attack. It was the first attack in nine days since -- during this crackdown by the Israeli government in the West Bank. Ariel Sharon waging his defense operation defensive wall, defensive shield against suicide attacks that killed some 125 Israelis in March. Public opinion had been very supportive of Sharon up until now. However, we'll have to see whether this suicide attack perhaps might chip away at that public support -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Chris, besides telling us that Haifa is in northern Israel, which most people know just by looking at a map, what can you tell us about this area where this latest suicide bomber has hit?

BURNS: This area of northern Israel, especially in Haifa, Haifa has been subject a lot of suicide attacks. Just the last one before this was on March 31, in fact, in a restaurant in Haifa. It is not far from the West Bank, some Palestinian towns that are known to have spawned a number of suicide bombers. Of course, Palestinians argue that the crackdown against these Palestinian groups is only going to spawn even more suicide bombers, and that is what Hamas is threatening to do -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Chris Burns reporting to us from northern Israel -- thank you so much.

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