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Palestinian ambassador to Prague killed in explosion | Palestinian ambassador to Prague killed in explosion |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic has been killed in a blast at his home thought to have been caused when he opened a safe containing explosives. | |
Czech police said there was no evidence that Jamal al-Jamal had been attacked. But the Czech authorities are bound to demand to know why explosives were being stored at the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Prague. | Czech police said there was no evidence that Jamal al-Jamal had been attacked. But the Czech authorities are bound to demand to know why explosives were being stored at the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Prague. |
According to Riad al-Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister, the safe had not been opened in at least 30 years. It was recently moved from an old embassy building. | |
"The ambassador decided to open it. After he opened it, apparently something happened inside and [the safe] went off," Maliki said. | |
The Novinky.cz news site, quoting sources close to the police investigation, said the blast had probably been caused by "careless manipulation with a dangerous explosive". | The Novinky.cz news site, quoting sources close to the police investigation, said the blast had probably been caused by "careless manipulation with a dangerous explosive". |
A Prague rescue service spokeswoman, Jirina Ernestova, said Jamal, 56, had been put in a medically induced coma when he first arrived at Prague military hospital. Daniel Langer, a doctor at the hospital, told public television Jamal had suffered serious abdominal injuries. | A Prague rescue service spokeswoman, Jirina Ernestova, said Jamal, 56, had been put in a medically induced coma when he first arrived at Prague military hospital. Daniel Langer, a doctor at the hospital, told public television Jamal had suffered serious abdominal injuries. |
A 52-year-old woman was taken from the scene of the explosion to a hospital in Prague suffering from shock. She was not immediately identified. | |
An embassy spokesman, Nabil el-Fahel, told Czech Radio the ambassador's entire family had been at the two-storey residence in Suchdol, a northern suburb of the Czech capital, when the blast occurred. | An embassy spokesman, Nabil el-Fahel, told Czech Radio the ambassador's entire family had been at the two-storey residence in Suchdol, a northern suburb of the Czech capital, when the blast occurred. |
A Palestinian official in Ramallah said: "This explosion happened at his house. He recently moved there. He was taken to hospital. An investigation is under way." | A Palestinian official in Ramallah said: "This explosion happened at his house. He recently moved there. He was taken to hospital. An investigation is under way." |
A second Palestinian source said: "He moved an old case with him to the new house from the old house. And when he opened it, the explosion happened." | A second Palestinian source said: "He moved an old case with him to the new house from the old house. And when he opened it, the explosion happened." |
There were no visible signs of damage to the house. Police cordoned off part of the street and half a dozen police vehicles, two firetrucks and two ambulances were present. Police sniffer dogs were at the site. | There were no visible signs of damage to the house. Police cordoned off part of the street and half a dozen police vehicles, two firetrucks and two ambulances were present. Police sniffer dogs were at the site. |
The Palestinian foreign ministry said it would send a delegation to Prague to help with the investigation. | |
Jamal had been ambassador to the Czech Republic since October. | Jamal had been ambassador to the Czech Republic since October. |
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