Boy killed, 30 injured in Rome attack

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 8

Boy killed, 30 injured in Rome attack

N'ZP/VReuter Rome A boy, aged two, was killed and 30 people were wounded when attackers threw grenades and fired at worshippers emerging from a synagogue in central Rome, said the police. They said that the two attackers walked up to the synagogue after a service and tossed at least five grenades before opening fire with a sub-machine-gun, and escaping in a car.

The attack, for which nobody immediately claimed responsibility, was the latest in a series against Jewish targets in Western Europe after the June 6 invasion of Lebanon by Israel. Pope John Paul 11, the Italian Prime Minister, Mr Giovanni Spadolini, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Emilio Colombo, were among the first to condemn the attack.

Mr Spadolini rushed to the scene, where 300 angry people chanted abuse at politicians, the news media and the Pope.

The crowd scuffled with journalists after accusing them of inciting anti-semi-tism through alleged biased coverage of the war in Lebanon.

Hospital officials said that

at least three of the people injured in the grenade and gun attack were in serious condition.

An eyewitness, Dr Marco Zafatti, said that he heard several explosions accompanied by gunfire as he stood chatting to a Rabbi inside the synagogue.

"I rushed out and saw a mother and her young son lying wounded. A girl of 20 was bleeding profusely from the neck. Most of the injured were rushed to hospital in private cars before the ambulances arrived,” he said. The Pope, in a telegram to the vicar of Rome, Cardinal Ugo Poletti, said that he had heard with profound pain and consternation of the attack

“I deeply deplore this terrorist gesture and am praying fervently for the victims of this explosion of hatred and blind violence and for peace and brotherhood among all people,” he said. There was pandemonium outside the synagogue as the police and ambulances tried to reach the scene in the narrow streets of Rome’s ancient Jewish district.

The police said that they had mounted a big search for the gunmen, and helicopters circled above the city centre.