Unrest after Israel church attack
Scuffles broke out in the town of Nazareth in northern Israel after
three Israelis set off firecrackers in the Church of the Annunciation.
The incident during a service late on Friday caused panic among
worshippers and sparked angry protests outside.
Large numbers of police went to the church to rescue the attackers,
who took shelter inside from the crowds.
Christians believe the church, one of their holiest sites, marks the
place where the birth of Jesus was foretold.
'Huge noise'
The three, two women and a man, entered the church pushing a pram
filled with fireworks and small gas canisters and began throwing them,
reports said.
This sparked panic among worshippers, some of whom were said to have
attacked the group.
It went on for six or seven minutes - I thought we were going to die
Rouan
Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra, in Nazareth at the time, said
the intruders threw something that made a "huge noise" into the
church, and the police came to defend them from the anger of the
crowd.
An eyewitness, Rouan, said she heard a "boom".
"It went on for six or seven minutes," she was quoted by the
Associated Press as saying. "I thought we were going to die."
The blast caused black marks on the walls, but no major damage, she said.
'Family members'
Hundreds of people then gathered outside the church to protest against
the incident, preventing the three from leaving.
Clashes broke out and protesters were said to have damaged an
ambulance which arrived on the scene.
Officials said five policemen were injured and a special commando unit
was called in to reinforce local police, who used tear gas on
protesters.
At least two people were injured in the clashes.
Israeli media said the three intruders were members of the same family.
One of the assailants was known by police to suffer from mental
illness and to have threatened to attack churches in the past, reports
said.
"I can say that they have been extricated and we are taking them in
for questioning," a senior police officer, Yaakov Zigdon, was quoted
by Reuters as saying.
Mr Ezra said he hoped city and church officials could "bring this
matter to an end without further incident".
The Church of the Annunciation marks the place where Christians
believe the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to foretell the birth of
Jesus.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4772364.stm
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