Bomb Wrecks Jewish Agency Headquarters

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1948, Page 5

Bomb Wrecks Jewish Agency Headquarters

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

ELEVEN K1LLED; 90 INJURED ANTI-BRITISH FEELING HIGH

Cewvright)

Received Friday, 11.5 a.m. JERUSALEM, March 11. A heavy explosion blew up the right wing of the heavilyguarded Jewish Agency headquarters building. It is stated in latest reports that 11 were killed and 90 injured. Jewish Agency reports say that an Arab attacker, tjfcing a car stolen earlier from the American Consulate, tock a bomb into the agency compound. Jews on the spot said the . car was fiying the American flag and carrying a "Press" sign. '' The explosion shook buildings a mile away and a great column of black sraoke, then flames leapt to the sky. Police . sireifs stopped the traffic. British Army ambulances, police and armoured cars rushed to the scene.

A few minutes after the blast panic-stricken Jews rushed through the streets, some toward and others away from the smoking blazing building. Rescue workers fought tlieir \vay into the debris and within a few minutes were carrying out the first -of the casualties. An hour after the blast the flames still licked up through the gaping roof of the right wing and rescuers were still helping or carrying out the injured. The right wing of the building, which lioused the offices of Vaad Leumi (the Jewish Council ) x and the Jewish National Fund, was wrecked, while the rest of it was badly damaged. It is a modern building with hupdreds of rooms and lioused the' Jewish Agency 's archives many of which are reported to have escaped destruetion. A Palestine Government statement said that the car checked

■ through the agency gate. The : occupants 'left two boxes in the : hallway and the explosion occurj r.ed a few minutes later. British tropps ana police remained outside the Jewish roadblock at i the entrance to the agency. As ■.anti-British feeling mounted police in armoured cars halted 50 yards frcm the agency and trained their guns towards Jews screaming and , wailing round the debris. Jews Tinked arms to form a cordon in 'front of the building. , Hon. Edwin Samuel, son of Viscount Samuel and Director of the Palestine Broadcasting Service, was among the injured. A senior Jewish police officer said the Jews did not seize any Britons after the explosion. Thousands of armed Haganah 'men, wearing battledress, cordoned cff the entire Jewish section of Jerusalem as a result of the explosion.