| 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign | |
 The attack aftermath | |
  The attack site | |
| Native name | הפיגוע במועדון השפילד קלאב |
| Location | Rishon Lezion, Israel |
| Date | 7 May 2002 11:03 pm |
Attack type | Suicide bombing |
| Deaths | 15 (+1 bomber) |
| Injured | 55 |
| Perpetrator | Hamas claimed responsibility |
The 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on 7 May 2002 at a crowded game club located in the new industrial area of Rishon Lezion, Israel. 16 people were killed in the attack and 55 were injured.
The Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack
On Tuesday, 7 May 2002, at 11:03 pm, a Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a hidden explosive device within a crowded game club full of people located in the new industrial area of Rishon Lezion, only 10 km south of Tel Aviv, killing 15 civilians and injuring 55 people, 10 critically.[1][2][3][4]
After the attack the Israeli police stated that the suicide bomber was carrying a briefcase full of explosives and in addition was also wearing an explosive belt. The police estimated that the total weight of explosives were between 7 and 8 kilograms, and stated that the briefcase contained also metal fragments and bolts in order to maximize the number of casualties in the attack.[5]
- Photos from the attack site
The perpetrator
The Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.[1]
Aftermath
The attack was condemned by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.[6]
After the attack, Irina Polishchuk, a Ukrainian married to Palestinian-Arab Ibrahim Sarahne,[7][8] was caught and convicted of participating in the 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing for her part in delivering the bomber to the site of the attack.
Release of attack collaborator
On 18 October 2011, Polishchuk, who had originally been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, was released to the West Bank as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.[9]
References
- 1 2 "CNN.com – Attacks since start of Al Aqsa intifada – June 21, 2002". CNN. 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
Rish
- ↑ "BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | In pictures: Israel bomb blast". BBC News. London: BBC. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ↑ "The Day - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ↑ "BBC News - MIDDLE EAST - Israel poised to strike Gaza". 9 May 2002. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ↑ "All 15 Victims of Rishon Letzion Suicide Bombing Identified". Haaretz. 8 May 2002.
- ↑ "UN News Centre". un.org. 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
- ↑ "נענע10 - שירות הביטחון: התקשורת מתלהמת בפרשת הסייענית - חדשות". Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
- ↑ "ynet השב"כ מתנצל: טעות בזיהוי - חדשות". ynet. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ↑ "שרות בתי הסוהר". Retrieved 16 December 2014.
External links
- Suicide bomber kills 15 in Israel – published on 8 May 2002 in The Guardian
- Lin: The aftermath of the Rishon Letzion attack Archived 4 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine – published on 8 May 2002 on CNN
- Israeli Embassy Statement on 7 May Rishon LeZion Bombing – published on 8 May 2002 on jewishfederations.org
