I ended yesterday's post
with good news and hoped to begin today's the same way. But it is not to
be:
A shuttle bus at the Sarafovo
Airport in the city of Burgas, in Bulgaria, has been hit by a terrorist --
it is believed, a suicide bomber. An explosion tore the bus
apart, at about 5:30 PM, killing at least seven Israelis and wounding more
than 20. A local Bulgarian tour guide and the bus driver may have been
among the casualties.
Credit:
YNet
This was one of three buses
at a terminal in the airport that were picking up Israeli tourists who had just
arrived; according to an eye witness, the bus blew almost immediately
after the tourists, roughly 40 in number,
had boarded.
There had been no intelligence
about the possibility of such an attack. But now Israeli security
officials, having consulted on the situation, are warning of the possibility of
additional attacks on Israeli targets elsewhere in the region of the
Mediterranean.
~~~~~~~~~~
The Israeli
Foreign Ministry is sending in a team of experts, including members of
ZAKA, to work with local authorities in dealing with this
situation. The Israeli Embassy in Sofia is preparing to
assist, as well. The dead must be identified, and arrangements will be
made to send those who were either injured or unharmed back to Israel
as quickly as possible.
Burgas is about 400 kilometers
east of the Bulgarian capital, Sophia; situated on the Black Sea, it is a
popular summer destination for Israelis.
~~~~~~~~~~
"All signs point to Iran" Prime
Minister Netanyahu said this evening.
"Israel will respond forcefully to
Iranian terror."
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny
Ayalon elaborated that:
"We know what targets and tactics
the Iranians use. We are acquainted with the way they are arrayed and
their wide infrastructure, and unfortunately we are also aware of their
determination to carry out murderous attacks against Israeli
targets."
It is not considered an accident
that today is the 18th anniversary of the attack on the Jewish community center
(AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that killed 85 and wounded hundreds -- an
attack perpetrated by Iran and Hezbollah.
In this regard, it is suspected
that Hezbollah is involved today as well.
~~~~~~~~~~
It's too early to speak
definitively, but I'm picking up tentative reports about a lukewarm level of
cooperation by Bulgarian officials. One eye witness report indicated that
Burgas rescue teams were tardy in arriving after the
explosion.
~~~~~~~~~~
Our intelligence has been
excellent of late, and we've managed time and time again to hold those Iranian
bastards at bay.
But this time... Damn, damn, damn.
Attacks on buses evoke especially strong responses in many
Israelis.
~~~~~~~~~~
Please Heaven, tomorrow I will
have more news, including all the good things I had hoped to write
today.
~~~~~~~~~~
©
Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner,
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