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CNN Live Today

At Least Two People Killed Outside Tel Aviv

Aired May 27, 2002 - 14:04   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We have been following some breaking news out of Israel as well today, where police say at least two people were killed by a suicide bomber outside of Tel Aviv.

CNN's Martin Savidge is at the scene of the explosion, and he joins us now -- Marty.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, we're being told now that Hezbollah Television is reporting that the al Aqsa Brigade is the one that is claiming responsibility for this latest attack here in Israel; that is, associated with Yasser Arafat's intifada movement.

Let's show you the scene in the background here. It took place at 6:45 PM Israeli time outside of what is an open-air coffee shop, really, located outside of a shopping mall.

That time of day, that time of evening, it would have been very busy here. In fact, witnesses say it was extremely crowded. Lots of people; men, women and children. There were reportedly two deaths, not including the suicide bomber, and at least 28 people that were injured.

Among the dead, authorities are saying now that one of the victims was a child, and in fact a short while ago they brought out what were the mangled remains of what appeared to be a child's stroller.

There is a large crowd on hand. Members of the forensic team still working over the site, cleaning up and gathering evidence. But they already know, they say, that this was the work of a suicide bomber.

There were said to be threats for this specific community this morning, however those were said to be general threats and, quite frankly, there had been threats all over Israel, literally hundreds of them, that the national police force has been dealing with.

But right now, they have reality before them. This is another suicide bombing attack in what has been a string. Tempers are running high. At times the crowd shouting "death to Arabs." Police working not only to control the scene, trying to make sure there are no more explosives, but also trying to control the tempers of those outraged by this latest suicide attack -- Carol. LIN: Marty, were you able to get any more details by talking to some of the investigators on the scene, how the suicide bomber approached, and was able to get so close to this cafe?

SAVIDGE: Well, unfortunately, police are still investigating that. But what they think may have possibly happen was that the mall itself, the entrance, has had security. That is pretty much standard operating procedure here in Israel.

However, it is not known if the coffee shop outside had their own security. If not, it may be that the suicide bomber, approaching the mall, saw the security, realized he could not get in, and thereby went for another target of opportunity, and that being the cafe in the background -- Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much. Marty Savidge, reporting live, outside a cafe, near Tel Aviv, where we are counting up as many as more than two dozen injured, and now three people, including the suicide bomber, dead.

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