Bomb explodes in Belarusian city

September 24, 2005

A bomb exploded in the Belarusian city of Vitebsk, injuring about forty-six people. The Thursday evening blast originated from a cafe in the city, which had an open-air structure and also had a dance floor, attracting many people. The bomb itself was planted in a flower bed next to the cafe.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations has said that four of the forty-six people have been critically injured, and twenty-one more have been hospitalized. Local police have not found a suspect in the incident.

The Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said, "I understand that it is very hard to stay intact in the midst of this boiling pot of terrorism. Why do we think that terrorism is far away from us and cannot occur here? The society should be on the alert." Lukashenko called on citizens to aid law enforcement agencies during an address to the 39th congress of the Belarussian Youth Union.

No suspect has been found in an earlier bombing incident that occurred in Vitebsk less than two weeks ago. An explosive beer can or metal box, laced with nails, was placed near a bus station. The detonation of the bomb also came from a flower bed and injured two people in the blast.