Four bombs explode in Ethiopian capital, killing at least one

Mar 27, 2006 (ADDIS ABABA) — Four bombs exploded in Ethiopia’s capital Monday, killing at least one person and wounding scores of others, police and witnesses said.

No one has claimed responsibility. Authorities have not commented so far on who they think is behind the bombing.

Demsach Hailu, spokesman for Ethiopia’s federal police, confirmed all four explosions.

The only death reported was from the day’s first bomb, that exploded on a packed minibus, killing at least one person and injuring an unknown number of people, Demsach said.

Witnesses said that the minibus was carrying about 10 people into downtown Addis Ababa, when the vehicle was ripped apart by the explosion.

Demsach said that a second bomb exploded at a restaurant; another near Addis Ababa’s biggest market; and the fourth outside two shops. Demsach said he had no other details.

Mesale Bekele, a waiter at Ag Restaurant, said that no one was killed but at least 13 people were injured when an explosion blew away the restaurant’s entrance.

Demsach said that the force of the blast on the minibus, which appeared to have gone off at the rear of the bus, hurled parts of the vehicle into the street.

Details on the third bombing were sketchy. All that an Associated Press reporter saw was blown out windows of buildings at the area of the explosion.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene of the fourth bombing saw two shops blown up with little left of them and a shanty house behind them ripped apart.

Police have blamed a series of small bombings in recent months on militant elements of the political opposition.

But the explosions, which have done little damage, have not been accompanied by any claims of responsibility and there has been no indication beyond police statements that they were politically motivated.

During protests in June and November over elections that returned Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to power, stone throwing demonstrators and heavily armed security forces clashed, leaving at least 86 people dead. European Union observers have said widespread abuses undermined the validity of the May elections.

A government crackdown in recent months has seen more than 100 opposition leaders, aid workers and journalists brought to trial on charges stemming from the postelection violence.

International human rights groups have condemned the trial, arguing that the charges were politically motivated.

(ST/AP)