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CNN Live Today
7 Killed in Jerusalem Attack
Aired July 31, 2002 - 10:14 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 want to get the latest, more violence in the Middle East to tell folks about today, more devastation abroad. Another bomb has ripped through a part of Jerusalem. This one in a crowded cafeteria at Hebrew University. At least seven people were killed.
Our Jerrold Kessel joins us from Jerusalem now with the latest.
Jerrold -- hello.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
And this, the scene of today's devastation, which has brought more death to Jerusalem, seven people killed, more than 80 wounded in this attack.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) cleanup work complete -- nears completion here in this cafeteria, a cafe of the Hebrew University of the Mount Scopus campus, some of the residue of this devastating attack still on the floor, much blood stains, a blood stained pen left behind, a broken fork, a broken spoon, as the lunch was ending. Off in here, the actual scene of where the bomb that took the worst brunt part of the bombing with the blood on the floor of where the worst casualties took place. This was the scene here in the cafeteria.
It was just about -- just before 2:00 lunchtime, a crowded cafeteria with students, many of them foreign students from all over the world, were taking their lunch at the self-service. You see some of the remains on the self-service counters as they went by to pick up their dinners. And the scene here is devastation, and it continues to be cleaned up.
All along, as we walk, make our way through the scene here, on the floor, you can see some of the residue of the remains of cups and uneaten lunches, blood stains everywhere. Literally, it has been now a couple of hours and the cleanup work takes place very, very quickly, but there, just as our camera can pick some of the uneaten lunch, a salad that's been left behind, in this cleanup from the cafe. And then on the roof above that came down from the devastation, this is about, as you can see, about 20 yards away from the scene.
And there on the wall perhaps a poignant picture. It shows a picture, I believe it's from the time they were building the Empire State in New York, and I spoke to the manager of the cafeteria. He said he was in the states a couple of years ago, and he liked that picture so much that he brought it to hand (ph). And of course, that's a picture that resonates so much today, scenes from New York. Well, of course now, it's the devastation here that is resonating with people.
Seven people killed and more than 80 wounded in this latest terror attack in this cafeteria in Jerusalem -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And, Jerrold, as I understand it, classes weren't in session, but there were students taking exams, so there were quite a few young people there on campus.
KESSEL: Yes, this is the summer vacation of course. It's the end of July, just when the university is off, but there are the end of the examinations -- the end-of-year examinations just being completed. But it is also a time of many summer schools that take place on the university campus, including a major one in Hebrew studies, where students from all over the world, Jewish, non-Jewish, are here. And this cafeteria perhaps not as crowded as it might be during the year- long, but certainly there were anywhere of 100 or more students and staff and workers inside the cafeteria when that devastating blast took place -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Plenty crowded to do way too much damage. Jerrold Kessel in Jerusalem at Hebrew University.
We want to bring in our Suzanne Malveaux, who is at the White House and just had a chance to get some comments on this situation from the Bush administration.
Suzanne -- good morning.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Strong words from the White House condemning that latest attack. Ari Fleischer in the off-camera gaggle said just moments ago, and I'm going to quote him here: "The president condemns the attack this morning in Jerusalem in the strongest terms. This is a horrific act of terror. Campuses around the world are places of learning and should be places of peace. This terrorist attack underscores the need for the Palestinian people, the Palestinian leadership, to take action to halt terrorism, so that peace has a chance in the Middle East. The president is still determined to focus on finding ways to achieve peace in the Middle East, but he condemns this attack in the strongest terms."
Now, tomorrow the president will be meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan, one of the key allies of the United States. And the administration is saying this latest attack is not going to get in the way of those meetings of moving the peace process forward.
They say among the items that they will be discussing: economic reform, the restructuring of the Palestinian Authority, as well as humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House -- Suzanne, thank you very much.
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