Palestinian militants blamed for bombing at Jerusalem bus stop; 25 wounded

March 23, 2011

110322-234613-709.html

By Aron Heller,Josh Lederman, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press – 15

minutes ago

JERUSALEM - A bomb exploded at a crowded bus stop Wednesday in central

Jerusalem, wounding at least 25 people in what appeared to be the first militant

attack in the city in several years.

The blast could be heard throughout Jerusalem and blew out the windows of two

crowded buses.

Rescuers were seen removing bloodied people from the area on stretchers.

Israel's national rescue service said 25 people were wounded, including 15

seriously. No deaths were reported.

Meir Hagid, one of the bus drivers, said he heard a loud explosion as he drove

by the site, located near the main entrance to Jerusalem and its central bus

station.

" I heard the explosion in the bus stop, " he said. He halted his vehicle and

people got off. He said nobody in his bus was hurt.

Jerusalem suffered dozens of suicide bombings that targeted buses and

restaurants during the second Palestinian uprising last decade. But the attacks

have halted in recent years. Jerusalem last experienced a suicide bombing in

2004.

The bombing came amid rising tensions between Israel and the Hamas militant

group, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings and other

attacks in recent years.

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