Suicide bombing at Patt junction in Jerusalem
June 18, 2002
19 people were killed and 74 injured - six seriously - in a suicide bombing at the Patt junction in Jerusalem. The bus, which was completely destroyed, was carrying many students on their way to school. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack and identified the bomber as Muhamed al-Ral, an Islamic law student at An-Najah University. A preliminary investigation indicated that he had made his way from Nablus to Bethlehem. From there he infiltrated Jerusalem's southern city limits the night before the bombing, despite a massive deployment by police and soldiers alerted by intelligence warnings of an attack in the capital.
Al-Ral boarded Egged bus no. 32A from Gilo at 7:50 A.M. at the stop in Beit Safafa, an Arab neighborhood opposite Gilo, and almost immediately detonated the large bomb which he carried in a bag stuffed with ball bearings. The blast destroyed the front half of the bus, packed with people on their way to work and schoolchildren. Of the 19 victims, 17 were residents of the Gilo neighborhood.
The victims:
- Boaz Aluf, 54, of Jerusalem
- Shani Avi-Zedek, 15, of Jerusalem
- Leah Baruch, 59, of Jerusalem
- Mendel Bereson, 72, of Jerusalem
- Raphael Berger, 28, of Jerusalem
- Michal Biazi, 24, of Jerusalem
- Tatiana Braslavsky, 41, of Jerusalem
- Galila Bugala, 11, of Jerusalem
- Raisa Dikstein, 67, of Jerusalem
- Dr. Moshe Gottlieb, 70, of Jerusalem
- Baruch Gruani, 60, of Jerusalem
- Orit Hayla, 21, of Jerusalem
- Helena Ivan, 63, of Jerusalem
- Iman Kabha, 26, of Barta'a
- Shiri Negari, 21, of Jerusalem
- Gila Nakav, 55, of Jerusalem
- Yelena Plagov, 42, of Jerusalem
- Liat Yagen, 24 of Jerusalem
- Rahamim Zidkiyahu, 51, of Jerusalem
News reports:
19 dead, 52 wounded in suicide bus bombing in southern Jerusalem - Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2002
At the scene: Stench of burning metal and flesh lingers for hours - Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2002
EU condemns Jerusalem bus bombing - J.Post, June 18, 2002
19 killed, 50 injured in suicide bombing on Jerusalem bus - Ha'aretz, June 18, 2002
IDF moves on Jenin in retaliation for bombing - Ha'aretz, June 19, 2002
PM at scene: What kind of Palestinian state? - Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2002
School students shaken by bombing - Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2002