SAIGON BOMB OUTRAGE

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28415, 23 October 1957, Page 13

SAIGON BOMB OUTRAGE

Nine Americans Injured (Rec. 11 p.m.» SAIGON. Oct. 22. Two plastic time bombs exploded at the living quarters of an American military advisory group this morning, injuring nine persons, three seriously, police said. Colombo Plan delegates staying in the Metropole Hotel, where one of the bombs exploded, said the explosion rocked the building and shattered the plate glass doors Eight of the nine Americans have been flown out to Clark Field. Manila, for hospital treatment, American sources said. The police said one bomb exploded in the Cholon Hotel, where the Americans were billeted, causing serious injuries to five men inside a room. Another exploded under a bus standing outside the Metropole Hotel, in which four Americans were sitting. Police said the driver got out of the bus and walked away before the bomb exploded. He had been arrested, they said

Police gave the names of the five at Cholon as Captains Womack. Cevaal, and Foley, Lieutenant Erzen, and Major Reiss. A Vietnamese painter waj also injured.

Vietnamese officials said they believed the incident was aimed at the American military group and was not intended as a demonstration against the Colombo Plan conference.

The advisory group, which trains the Vietnamese Army, is here under an agreement between the Vietnamese Government and the United States.

The United Press reported that a third bomb exploded inside the United States Information Service library. The library was closed when the bomb went off. knocking down book shelves and blasting out windows. No-one was injured.

The bomb knocked out one interior wall. American Embassy employees live in apartments above the library but none was reported injured.