Six dead after bus attack

A BOMB HAS exploded on a bus carrying Israeli youths in a Bulgarian resort yesterday, killing at least six people and wounding 32.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “an Iranian terror attack” and promised a tough response.

The explosion took place in the Black Sea city of Burgas, 250 miles east of Sofia.

TV images showed smoke billowing from the scene, a car park at the local airport where the Israeli tourists had landed shortly before the blast. Several buses and cars were on fire near the shell of the exploded vehicle.

Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, after being briefed by his Bulgarian counterpart, said the explosion was caused by a bomb placed on the bus.

He said seven people died, but by Wednesday night the Bulgarian foreign ministry had placed the death toll at six and the number of wounded at 32 people.

Bulgarian leaders, including the president, rushed to the site, while the foreign ministry said authorities were operating under the theory the blast was a terrorist attack.

No group responsibility.

However, Israelis have often been targeted outside their country and the

immediately

claimed attack coincided with the 18th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Argentina that killed 85 people.

Israel suspects arch-rival Iran of being behind several of those assaults.

The two nations have long been in dispute over the nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Israel has warned it will use military force to curb Iran’s programme if it must because it believes Tehran wants atomic weapons – a charge Iranian officials deny.

The Israeli premier noted today’s attack followed similar attacks or attempted attacks in India, Georgia, Thailand and Kenya and Cyprus in recent months.

He said once again “all signs point to Iran”, though he did not offer any evidence to back up the claim, adding: “This is an Iranian terror attack that is spreading across the world. Israel will react strongly to Iran’s terror.”

The United States, which has preferred to pursue sanctions and diplomatic pressure against Iran in the nuclear dispute, also strongly condemned what president Barack Obama called a “barbaric terrorist attack”.

British Foreign SecretaryWilliam Hague also called it terrorism and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

Tehran did not immediately issue any comment.

Bulgaria is a favourite tourist destination for Israelis.

Smoke rises into the sky after an explosion at Burgas Airport which killed six people.