Ethiopia: Israeli among the 6 dead in Addis blast

May 24, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — An Israeli elephant expert was confirmed dead in Tuesday’s minibus blast in the Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

Late on Tuesday, a town minibus near the ministry of foreign affairs office blew up leaving at least 6 people dead and 7 more wounded.

According to Israel based website,haaretz.com, 65 year old Prof. Yehezkel Shoshani, who dedicated his life to the study of elephants in east Africa for eight years in preserving declining population of elephants In a national park near the Eritrean border, has been working in Eritrea but last year moved to Ethiopia to teach in the Addis Ababa’s university.

No group has yet claimed responsibility to the attacks.

Prime minister Meles-led Ethiopian government hasn’t yet blamed to any group nor did it accuse the usual suspect Eritrea beyond saying it is the act of some desperate terrorists.

Addis police hasn’t yet arrested suspects, but a joint anti-terror force is seriously carrying out an investigation to track down perpetrators of the latest attack.

In an interview during his recent visit to Israel, Shoshani told Haaretz that the volatile political situation near the Eritrea-Ethiopia border was one of the reasons that motivated him to move to Ethiopia’s capital.

Addis Ababa has long been accusing arch-foe, Eritrea for the number of attacks in its soil which Eritrea denies.

Over the past few weeks alone Ethiopia has sentenced some 11 perpetrators to death. This is the first time in many years for Ethiopia to pass several death sentences in such a short period of time.

In most cases Ethiopian court has found Eritrea directly or indirectly being behind the conspiracy.

(ST)