Military

DATE=4/24/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL/BOMBING (S-ONLY UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-3026517

BYLINE=SONJA PACE

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself in the central Israeli town of Kfar Saba this morning (Thursday), killing a security guard and injuring at least 10 other people. There has so far been no official claim of responsibility, but Palestinian sources say a group linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement may have been behind the attack. V-O-A's Sonja Pace has details from Jerusalem.

TEXT: The blast occurred during morning rush hour at Kfar Saba's train station. The bomber tried to enter the station, then blew himself up when a security guard stopped him at the gate.

The bomber has been identified as 18-year-old Ahmed Khatib from the Balata refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus.

A spokesman in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office called it a vicious attack against Israeli civilians. Palestinian Cabinet minister Yasser Abed Rabbo condemned the attack, saying the Palestinian Authority opposes all attacks against civilians - Israeli or Palestinian.

The bombing comes just a day after a new Palestinian government was formed that is to rein in such attacks and pave the way for a resumption of peace talks.

NEB/SP/ALW