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CNN Live At Daybreak
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 1 Israeli, 13 Hurt
Aired April 24, 2003 - 06:05 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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's head to Israel now. Authorities say a suicide bomber has killed an Israeli security guard and injured 13 other people. The attack happened about five hours ago at a train station in the town of Kfar Saba. That's about 10 miles northeast of Tel Aviv.
For more on this, let's go to Jerrold Kessel, who is live in Jerusalem.
Good morning -- Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the train line to Kfar Saba, that suburban city just about 15 or so miles, as you say, northeast of Tel Aviv, it only opened about 10 days ago. And they weren't hoping and certainly not anticipating an opening like this, or a dedication of the new train station like this.
Because at just about 7:15 in the morning at the height of rush hour, a young Palestinian approached the entrance to the train station. Because of the spate of bombings over the last two years or so, Israeli public places have all got guards on them at the entrances. And two of the security guards approached the young Palestinian, and that is when he let off the explosives on him.
One of the security guards was killed, the other was seriously hurt. But their action intercepting the 18-year-old Palestinian bomber clearly saved the lives of many others, or at least stopped them being seriously wounded. Of the 14 or so people who were wounded, most were treated -- needed to receive treatment only for light injuries.
But the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) casualties certainly doesn't minimize the significance of this attack, as it comes just a day after the formation -- or the announced formation of a new Palestinian government.
There has been responsibility claimed for this attack. A telephone call from a caller saying he represented a group of the Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, that's the militia affiliated to the mainstream Fatah movement, say they and another Palestinian group were responsible. Now, the Al-Aqsa spokesman said their group was not responsible, and it may have just been a splinter group.
But whoever, this clearly underscores the difficulties for the new Palestinian prime minister-designate, Abu Mazen, in curbing Palestinian militias. That's a key provisory of the U.S.-backed plan for Middle East peace and to head towards Palestinian statehood. That is part of a component of that peace plan.
Certainly curbing the militants is certainly something the Israel government expects.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DORE GOLD, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Israel has been receiving scores of warnings of attacks precisely of this sort, and it's our hope now that any new Palestinian government that will be sworn in next week will take a -- make a determined effort on the ground to make sure that no more attacks of this sort are attempted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Official Palestinian spokesmen condemned the attack, but a leading spokesman of one of the militant Islamic groups, Hamas, says his organization won't be deterred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI, HAMAS OFFICIAL: As long as there is occupation, there will be resistance. We are resisting occupiers. We are resisting (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and the resistance will continue, as I said, as long as there is occupation and aggression from the Israelis to our people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Whoever carried out this attack, it is clear that it underlines the stark choice in the wake of that formation of the new government, a stark choice between the leaders and the peoples of both sides, either head towards revived peace moves, or perhaps ensure more of the same, more bitter fighting -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning, many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired April 24, 2003 - 06:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's head to Israel now. Authorities say a suicide bomber has killed an Israeli security guard and injured 13 other people. The attack happened about five hours ago at a train station in the town of Kfar Saba. That's about 10 miles northeast of Tel Aviv.
For more on this, let's go to Jerrold Kessel, who is live in Jerusalem.
Good morning -- Jerrold.
JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the train line to Kfar Saba, that suburban city just about 15 or so miles, as you say, northeast of Tel Aviv, it only opened about 10 days ago. And they weren't hoping and certainly not anticipating an opening like this, or a dedication of the new train station like this.
Because at just about 7:15 in the morning at the height of rush hour, a young Palestinian approached the entrance to the train station. Because of the spate of bombings over the last two years or so, Israeli public places have all got guards on them at the entrances. And two of the security guards approached the young Palestinian, and that is when he let off the explosives on him.
One of the security guards was killed, the other was seriously hurt. But their action intercepting the 18-year-old Palestinian bomber clearly saved the lives of many others, or at least stopped them being seriously wounded. Of the 14 or so people who were wounded, most were treated -- needed to receive treatment only for light injuries.
But the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) casualties certainly doesn't minimize the significance of this attack, as it comes just a day after the formation -- or the announced formation of a new Palestinian government.
There has been responsibility claimed for this attack. A telephone call from a caller saying he represented a group of the Al- Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, that's the militia affiliated to the mainstream Fatah movement, say they and another Palestinian group were responsible. Now, the Al-Aqsa spokesman said their group was not responsible, and it may have just been a splinter group.
But whoever, this clearly underscores the difficulties for the new Palestinian prime minister-designate, Abu Mazen, in curbing Palestinian militias. That's a key provisory of the U.S.-backed plan for Middle East peace and to head towards Palestinian statehood. That is part of a component of that peace plan.
Certainly curbing the militants is certainly something the Israel government expects.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DORE GOLD, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Israel has been receiving scores of warnings of attacks precisely of this sort, and it's our hope now that any new Palestinian government that will be sworn in next week will take a -- make a determined effort on the ground to make sure that no more attacks of this sort are attempted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Official Palestinian spokesmen condemned the attack, but a leading spokesman of one of the militant Islamic groups, Hamas, says his organization won't be deterred.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDEL-AZIZ AL-RANTISSI, HAMAS OFFICIAL: As long as there is occupation, there will be resistance. We are resisting occupiers. We are resisting (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and the resistance will continue, as I said, as long as there is occupation and aggression from the Israelis to our people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KESSEL: Whoever carried out this attack, it is clear that it underlines the stark choice in the wake of that formation of the new government, a stark choice between the leaders and the peoples of both sides, either head towards revived peace moves, or perhaps ensure more of the same, more bitter fighting -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jerrold Kessel live from Jerusalem this morning, many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
