BOMB EXPLOSION IN HAIFA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25082, 14 January 1947, Page 7

BOMB EXPLOSION IN HAIFA

Police Station And Post Office Attacked FOUR CONSTABLES KILLED; 62 WOUNDED (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, January 13. The Stern Gang, in leaflets distributed in Tel Aviv, ha# claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on the police station and post office in the port of Haifa yesterday. In the explosion, which correspondents describe as the biggest in Palestine since the one which occurred in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem last year, two British policemen and two Arab temporary constables xyere killed. Fifty Arab and Jewish temporary constables and 12 British police were wounded, two of the British critically. Forty-eight civilians were admitted to hospital and 80 others received first aid. A small civilian car, at 5 p.m., drove into the police headquarters compound and three minutes later blew up, levelling buildings and shattering windows over a quarter of a mile radius. Debris blocked the waterfront roadway and glass splinter* littered the adjoining streetsBuildings and streets were temporarily in darkness aa a result of the explosion. Mount Carmel’s searchlight was directed on the ruins to help the workers. The police say the driver of the car, which was driven into the security compound three minutes before the explosion, wore a police uniform. The guard was apparently dissatisfied with the driver’s reply to the routine challenge and made further investigations, whereupon the driver ran away and jumped into a taxi, the guard firing after him. The guard returned and noticed the glow of a fuse in the car and gave the alarm. The police headquarters were then evacuated.

The explosion occurred in Kingsway, which is the port’s busiest thoroughfare. Passers-by were in* jured by flying glass. Correspondents, emphasising that tffe Post Office adjoins the police station at Haifa, indicate that the single explosion affeqted both buildings. All the police telephone lines were cut immediately before the attack. “Irgun Zvai Leumi has never proclaimed a truce and has no intention of doing so. Irgun Zvai Leumi canqqt attack on a 24-hour basis. We are bound to take advantage of opportunities, There msy be lulls, but our opponents need not expect truces." Irgun Zvai Leumi's radio broadcast this statement about the same time as the explosion occurred in Haifa. Two hours after tbe explosion the Jewish Agency issued a strong denunciation of the outrage and claimed that the attackers were intent on showing that Jewish terrorists were determined to pursue their own line,

in spite of pressure from the Haganah to desist. Troops and police made searches in the alum quarters of the port area. “The shock of the Haifa bomb has affected all Palestine, and its repercussions will be heard in London.” says the newspaper “Palestine Post." "The brazen attack was mad 4 not only against the Palestine authorities, but against the authority of the new Jewish Agency executive and the Zionist Congress and agairfbt all who in the last few weeks have started a new attempt to find a reasonable solu* tion to the Palestine problem. The “Daily Telegraph” says the 3rd Division is expected shortly from Egypt commanded by Major-General Cnurcher. The Jerusalem correspondent of “The Times” contradicts a report that the Arab Higher Executive has agreed to jpip in the London talks The correspondent says the executive has postponed Its decision till to-morrow.