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American Morning

Nature of Cafeteria Bombing Unclear

Aired July 31, 2002 - 08:01   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Unfortunately, we are continuing to get bad news out of the Middle East.

Let's go straight to Jerusalem, where our bureau chief, Mike Hanna, is standing by to bring us up to date on what is being described as an apparent suicide bombing, although, Mike, I know there is some conflicting information about the source of the explosion.

What can you tell us?

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, still investigating the source of this explosion. But what is now clear is that this casualty toll is continuing to mount. At the latest count we have 80 people injured, as many as 80 people injured. Out of these, 11 people are said to be in a serious condition. In addition, we have confirmed that six people have been killed in this blast, which took place in a cafeteria of the Hebrew University, the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University.

The exact cause of the explosion, police still investigating that. All investigative work being hampered by the difficulty of getting access to the scene. The university on vacation at the moment, but many people on campus. There were all sorts of summer events taking place. Also, there were some exams being written at this particular time of the year. There was an art exhibition that has been taking place there in recent days.

So there were a large amount of people on the campus. Many, it does appear, to be round the vicinity of the cafeteria, looking at this number of casualties involved, as many as 80 people injured in this blast. Six people confirmed dead at this stage -- Paula.

ZAHN: Mike, I know you say investigators are looking at the cause of the explosion. But witnesses have told even CNN they saw a man who set off the blast and I guess police are now saying they're investigating whether a bag of explosives was left behind or whether it was a suicide bomber himself or herself who blew the place up.

What do you make of the eyewitness accounts so far?

HANNA: That's correct, Paula. We have had these eyewitness accounts that there was a person, one account saying that a man joined a cue in the cafeteria before detonating an explosive device. However, at this stage police are refusing to confirm this particular detail. They say that they are investigating the explosion at the stage, obviously with the melee, with the absolute confusion and the chaos that emerges around when you have a massive blast like this in a crowded area, a contained earlier in this particular campus, in this particular case, then certainly there is a degree of confusion as to exactly what happened.

I mean what we do know, though, it that there was a massive explosion which has caused a lot of damage. We do have several accounts that it was a suicide bomber, but no official confirmation as to this fact at this particular stage.

We have, as well, had a claim of responsibility. CNN has heard from Palestinian sources in Gaza that the militant Hamas movement has claimed responsibility for this attack, saying it is a revenge attack for the Israeli bombing of targeting Gaza City last week, in which a senior Hamas militant was killed, as well as several other civilians. There had been repeated pledges of retaliation in the wake of that Israeli action.

But we are now hearing that the casualty toll is really very high, Paula, at least 80 people injured and six people confirmed dead at this stage. But we're still waiting to hear from police confirmation as to exactly how this explosion happened, whether it was, in fact, a suicide bomber and whether the suicide bomber is dead, as well -- Paula.

ZAHN: You had reported a little bit earlier, obviously, that the Hamas had vowed revenge. Is it true that the Israelis successfully stopped more than a dozen of these potential attacks over the last couple of weeks?

HANNA: Well, yes, Israeli intelligence sources have been saying repeatedly in recent weeks, and particularly in recent days, that they have intercepted a number of would be attacks on Israeli civilian targets within Israel proper. That was even before the Israeli attack in Gaza City last week, at the beginning of last week. There had been repeated reports of interceptions from Israeli intelligence sources. There had been an incident where a car laden with explosives was intercepted by Israeli security forces.

So since last Monday, in particular, since that attack in Gaza, this security, which had always been in place, has really been intensified. This university campus, for example, was surrounded, had a huge security component around it. There were security guards posted round the campus. But it just shows the difficulty of continuing to police this situation.

Israel says that it's trying to stop these attacks at source, that is, in Palestinian areas. And Israel says this is why it has occupied a number of Palestinian cities in a bid to prevent the suicide bombers from coming through.

But even so, clearly events 24 hours ago and now, these tragic events of the day, Paula, indicate it's very, very difficult to stop anybody who is trying to come through and set off an explosion, killing so many civilians. ZAHN: Mike Hanna, thanks for that update.

Mike Hanna, our bureau chief, reporting live from Jerusalem.

Once again, Israeli officials now confirming at least six killed, more than 80 injured. They, of course, Bill, are still trying to figure out what set off the explosion. Mike Hanna reporting that eyewitnesses had told CNN that a man had gotten in a cue in a cafeteria line and potentially set himself off, along with injuring all these people and killing these people we're talking about.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Interesting to hear, yes...

ZAHN: But, they're also exploring the possibility that a bag of explosives was left.

I think it's fascinating with a campus that was as secure as this was, as Mike just described, by security forces, that this could happen.

HEMMER: Yes, and interesting to note that he says that an art exhibit was under way at the point of this attack. Classes were not in session. Exams were being taken, though. But this exhibit was set up and you know that's on the calendar weeks, if not months, in advance. It makes you wonder.

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