Gunmen Infiltrate Jewish Seminary, 7 Killed
A gunman infiltrated a Jewish seminary and opened fire in a dining hall.
March 6, 2008— -- Two gunmen infiltrated a Jewish seminary inJerusalem and opened fire in a dining hall Thursday night, killingat least seven people, police and rescue workers said.
Channel 2 TV said police special forces killed the twoinfiltrators.
Rescue workers said at least 10 people were wounded althoughIsraeli media reported a larger number hurt.
The attack came a day after Secretary of State Condoleezza Ricepersuaded moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to return topeace talks with Israel. It came on the same day as Egyptianofficials were trying to mediate a truce between Palestinianmilitants and Israel.
Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben Ruby said one of thegunmen was wearing what at first appeared to be an explosives vestbut turned out to be a belt holding extra ammunition.
He said students were being evacuated from the building.Hundreds of police surrounded the area and searched the campus asambulances raced to the scene.
"One or two terrorists infiltrated the Mercaz Harav seminaryand opened fire in all directions," the police spokesman said."One terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire, and apparentlyhe had an explosives belt."
The gunmen entered a dining hall where about 80 people weregathered and opened fire, witnesses said.
"There are at least seven killed and 10 people wounded," saidEli Dein, director of Israel's rescue service.
The seminar is the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in the Kiryat Moshequarter at the entrance of Jerusalem, a well-known center of Jewishstudies identified with the leadership of the Jewish settlementmovement in the West Bank.
There were no attacks by Palestinian militants in Jerusalemduring 2007, though police and the military claimed to have foiledmany attempts. Between 2001 and 2004, at the height ofPalestinian-Israeli fighting, Jerusalem was a frequent target ofPalestinian attacks, including suicide bombings on buses.
In Gaza City, residents went out into the streets and firedrifles in celebration in the air after hearing news of the attackon the seminary.
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