THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2004
Israel unveils system to keep off suicide bombers
AP
RAMAT HASHARON: A security system unveiled Thursday aims to keep suicide bombers off Israeli buses, countering one of the deadliest forms of Palestinian attacks.
Thirteen times during three years of violence, Palestinians carrying bombs boarded buses and blew themselves up, killing 139 passengers - the effect of the blasts multiplied by the enclosed areas tightly packed with people.
The last such suicide bombing was Aug. 19 in downtown Jerusalem , when 23 passengers were killed.
Pictures of burned-out buses smoldering at roadsides have horrified Israelis and deterred many from riding buses, Israel 's most common and cheapest form of mass transport.
The key element of the new system, displayed Thursday at Israel Military Industries (IMI) outside Tel Aviv, is a simple turnstile. The driver monitors passengers boarding his bus, and if anyone arouses suspicions, he presses a button to lock the turnstile, keeping the person off the bus.
A bomber could still detonate his explosives outside the bus, but casualties would be much fewer.
However, Palestinian bombers have taken to disguising themselves, some as women, others as Orthodox Jews, to avoid detection. A more sophisticated version of the system includes electronic sensors to detect explosives up to a meter (three feet) away, setting off an alarm near the driver.
The system was developed by the Israeli bus manufacturing company Haargaz, Israeli Transportation Ministry and IMI, which also deals with more sophisticated threats, like protecting aircraft from missile attacks.
"There's no doubt that we have been forced in recent years to deal with terrorist activity that targets buses," Transport Minister Avigdor Lieberman told reporters.
Five city buses with the basic version of the system will be on the road next month as part of a pilot project. Officials would not say in which city the buses will run.
The buses will also have a turnstile at the rear door to allow passengers to exit, while preventing bombers from climbing aboard from the back.
Armored glass may also be installed beside the driver's seat and at the front of the bus to reduce the impact of an explosion.
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