MAN SEARCHING WRECKAGE; SEARCHERS AMIDST RUBBLE; WRECKED ROOM;MOTHER CRYING; SEARCHERS IN WRECKAGE.




Initials JB/VS/CT/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FOUR EXPLOSIONS SEVERELY DAMAGED BLOCKS OF FLATS IN HAIFA YESTERDAY (OCT 22) KILLING ONE PERSON AND INJURING SEVERAL. A FIFTH EXPLOSION TODAY (OCT 23) CAUSED A SECOND DEATH.

ISRAELI POLICE BELIEVE THE EXPLOSIONS WERE THE WORK OF AN ARAB GUERILLA GROUP. THE POLICE ROUNDED UP A NUMBER OF ARABS FOR QUESTIONING THERE ARE ABOUT 5-THOUSAND ARABS LIVING IN THE HAIFA DISTRICT.

THIS IS THE WRECKAGE FROM THE FOURTH EXPLOSION WHICH SEVERELY DAMAGED A TWO-STOREY BLOCK OF FLATS.

A BABY GIRL WAS BURIED UNDER DEBRIS FOR AN HOUR. RESCUE WORKERS FOUND HER IN A HOLE PROTECTED BY AN UMBRELLA OF BROKEN CONCRETE BLOCKS. SHE SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG.

POLICE CORDONED OFF THE IMMEDIATE AREA AND EVACUATED SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THE DAMAGED FLATS WERE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. POLICE HAVE SAKED RESIDENTS OF HAIFA TO ORGANISE SEARCHERS OF THEIR HOMES AND SURROUNDINGS FOR SUSPICIOUS OBJECTS.

THE EXPLOSIONS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY CHARGES WEIGHING SOME ELEVEN POUNDS (FIVE KILOS).

THE INCIDENTS DREW A STERN WARNING FROM THE ISRAELI PREMIER, MRS. GOLDA MEIR, WHO SAID THAT ISRAEL WOULD FIND WAYS AND MEANS TO PUNISH THE CRIMINALS AND THOSE WHO SENT THEM.