BBC News | Africa | Car bomb rocks Cape Town tourist spot


Front Page
World
UK
UK Politics
Business
Sci/Tech
Health
Education
Sport
Entertainment
Talking Point



On Air Feedback Low Graphics Help

Saturday, January 2, 1999 Published at 04:33 GMT

World: Africa

Car bomb rocks Cape Town tourist spot

Police sealed off the scene of the explosion

Police in South Africa say two people have been injured in a car bomb explosion near the popular Waterfront tourist area in Cape Town - the second blast there in five months.

Paul Royall reports
A police spokesman said it was very lucky that no one was seriously injured. One person was treated for shock and the other had what police said were "superficial shrapnel wounds".

The attack comes at the height of the summer season when many tourists visit the area.

Video clues

[ image: The Planet Hollywood bombing was in the same area]
The Planet Hollywood bombing was in the same area
So far there is no indication who was behind the car bomb, but police are hoping to collect more clues from a tourist who captured the incident on their video camera.

In August, two people were killed and 26 injured when a bomb exploded in a Planet Hollywood restaurant. Police initially suspected Islamic extremists were behind that attack, although there have been no arrests.

The latest explosion comes less than a week before a visit to the country by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Some Muslim groups have vowed to mark his visit by protesting against the recent US and British attacks on Iraq.