- JERUSALEM - A Palestinian
suicide bomber blew herself up at the Maccabim roadblock on the Jerusalem-Modi'in
highway last night, wounding three policemen, two lightly and one moderately.
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- The two other passengers the bomber drove to the roadblock
were also killed.
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- According to initial reports, they drove up to the roadblock
close to 10:30. The policemen asked to check their identity papers, and
the two men claimed to be Israeli Arabs, showing blue identity cards, and
were allowed to remain in the car.
-
- The woman was asked to step out of the car, and as she
did so the policemen moved to the side, suspecting something, just before
she detonated the explosives.
-
- According to initial reports, the two others got out
and attempted to hide underneath the car, but were shot by soldiers who
feared they might be wearing explosive belts.
-
- Security officials did not rule out that the two may
have been terrorists using stolen identity cards.
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- The policemen were taken to Sheba Hospital at Tel Hashomer.
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- The road Jerusalem-Modi'in road was sealed off as security
forces searched the area.
-
- A car approached the roadblock from the east and stopped
for inspection, Judea and Samaria police chief Cmdr. Shahar Ayalon said.
-
- "A female suicide bomber got out of the car and
detonated explosives, wounding the policemen. Two other terrorists in the
car were seriously wounded and are lying on the ground outside the car,"
he said.
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- A medic who reached the site shortly afterward told Israel
Radio he saw the woman blow herself up. He said he heard shots 10 minutes
later.
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- A taxi driver told Israel Radio he was on his way to
Jerusalem when he noticed the suicide bomber.
-
- "There was a huge explosion," he said. "I
saw them pull the two [other] terrorists out of the car and force them
to the ground. Apparently there was an explosive belt on one of them. After
five or 10 minutes, I heard gunshots - apparently they shot at the terrorist."
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- http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2002/02/28/News/News.44291.html
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