| 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of theSecond Intifada militancy campaign | |
 The attack aftermath | |
  The attack site | |
| Native name | הפיגוע במועדון השפילד קלאב |
| Location | Rishon Lezion, Israel |
| Date | 7 May 2002; 23 years ago (2002-05-07) 11:03 pm |
Attack type | Suicide bombing |
| Deaths | 15 (+1 bomber) |
| Injured | 55 |
| Perpetrator | Hamas claimed responsibility |
The2002 Rishon LeZion bombing was asuicide bombing which occurred on 7 May 2002 at a crowded game club located in the new industrial area ofRishon Lezion,Israel. 16 people were killed in the attack and 55 were injured.
The Islamic militant groupHamas claimed responsibility for the attack.
On Tuesday, 7 May 2002, at 11:03 pm, aPalestinian suicide bomber detonated a hidden explosive device within a crowded game club full of people located in the new industrial area ofRishon Lezion, only 10 km south ofTel Aviv, killing 15 civilians and injuring 55 people, 10 critically.[1][2][3][4]
After the attack the Israeli police stated that the suicide bomber was carrying a briefcase full of explosives and in addition was also wearing anexplosive belt. The police estimated that the total weight of explosives were between 7 and 8 kilograms, and stated that the briefcase contained also metal fragments and bolts in order to maximize the number of casualties in the attack.[5]
The Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.[1]
The attack was condemned by United Nations Secretary GeneralKofi Annan.[6]
After the attack, Irina Polishchuk, a Ukrainian married to Palestinian-Arab Ibrahim Sarahne,[7][8] was caught and convicted of participating in the 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing for her part in delivering the bomber to the site of the attack.[citation needed]
On 18 October 2011, Polishchuk, who had originally been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, was released to the West Bank as part of theGilad Shalit prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas.[9]
Rish
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan
31°59′30″N34°46′11″E / 31.9918°N 34.7696°E /31.9918; 34.7696
