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American Morning

Hamas Says Bombing Retaliation For Missile Attack

Aired August 01, 2002 - 09:01   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hamas says the bombing was retaliation for a missile attack that killed a Hamas leader and several civilians last week, mostly children in that attack. Israeli officials have a retaliation plan for yesterday's attack.

Our bureau chief Mike Hanna with that part of the story live there in the Middle East.

Mike, hello. Good afternoon to you, there.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Bill.

And the people of the region still counting the cost of the terror attack at the campus of the Hebrew University in Mount Scopus (ph), and in the course of the morning, students, people who had been there, others who camel along, came to pay their respects to those who died in that attack, and also their condolences to the many that were injured. Well over 70 people injured in that attack.

Now the university had been closed for the summer vacation. But there were a lot of programs going on, on the campus in the course of the day. And among them, a lot of international students, as you've just said. Of the dead, there were four Americans, sole American citizenship and the fifth person who had the dual American and French citizenship. All of these people along with the two Israeli killed remembered in the course of the day.

Police have ascertained the sequence of events that led to the explosion up to a point. They do know that some explosive devices was planted in a bag in the cafeteria on the campus, and then detonated. They're looking into the possibility that the explosive device was detonated remotely by some kind of device, perhaps even a mobile telephone. The explosion occurred at lunchtime when that cafeteria in the Frank Sinatra Center was at its most full. Many, many people injured, still being treated obviously.

Among those, the more than 70 injured in that explosion. A number of them are still in hospital, and several said to be in a critical condition. Now, among the dead, the Americans, we understand are due to transported. Their bodies will be transported from Israel later on in the course of the day, back to their homes for burial. We're still receiving waiting for further information as to when and where this is going to happen.

So the situation here, people mourning yet another terror attack, more deaths, more wounded -- Bill.

HEMMER: Mike Hanna in Jerusalem. Thank you.

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