Palestinian suicide bomb rips through bus, 15 dead

The first Palestinian suicide bombing in two months tore apart a packed Israeli bus in the port city of Haifa on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 40, police said. The explosion ripped the roof off the bus, turned the vehicle into a charred wreck and hurled bodies out onto a main street at the entrance to the Carmeliya neighbourhood.

The first suicide attack since Israel’s new Rightist government was sworn in dealt a fresh blow to hopes of a breakthrough to end two-and-a-half years of violence and to US hopes of calm in the region as it prepares for a possible war in Iraq. ‘‘My boss and I stepped out after lunch. We heard an enormous explosion. Body parts, hands, legs, glass and debris flew from the bus in front of a hairdresser salon,’’ said Michael Afuta, 20, who works at the nearby hairdresser’s.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing.

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The blast from the nail-packed bomb, the trademark of suicide militants, sprayed nearby cars with blood and showered bus seats and victims’ shoes onto the street.

Rescue workers draped several bodies still lying in the bus with blankets. ‘‘We are talking about a suicide bombing and are checking whether the attacker had just got on bus number 37 or decided to explode outside at this station,’’ said Yakov Borovsky, police commander for northern Israel. Police said at least 15 people were killed. The death toll could rise as there were more body parts at the scene. (Reuters)