Posted on 05/22/2008 10:24:22 AM PDT by Alouette
A restaurant customer has been injured in a suspected nail bomb attack on a city centre restaurant.
The exploded shortly after a man entered the Giraffe Restaurant in the Princesshay shopping centre in Exeter, Devon.
The customer was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and the area has been sealed off by police.
They are trying to find out what sort of device caused the explosion and whether there are any others still live.
Forensic experts have been called to the scene and a Royal Navy bomb disposal team from Plymouth are on stand by.
The device is thought to be a home made nail or letter bomb which may have exploded while being assembled or primed in the toilets of the restaurant.
Eyewitness Peter Lacey, who was in the restaurant with his wife, said: "There were three explosions.
"They sounded more like gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding.
"They came from a locked toilet."
Another diner, who would only be identified as Trudy, said: "It was definitely an explosion, it sounded like the lights were exploding.
"There was a lot of glass. I think it came from the toilet.
"There was concern, I wouldn't say there was panic, everyone got up and the staff were very good getting everyone out."
The blasts happened at 12.50pm as the diner - which specialises in South American, Spanish and African food - filled with shoppers and office workers having lunch.
Witness Margaret Sellars, 63, said: "Police have set up a cordon around the Princesshay shopping centre.
"I asked an officer what was going on and he said a nail bomb had gone off in one of the restaurants in the centre.
"The shopping centre has only just opened."
She added: "Police are now moving us further back, past the bus station. A policeman said they may have found another suspicious package and are not taking any risks.
"It's chaos. People are running away from the scene. There are no taxis or buses operating.
"A bomb disposal unit is there. Police are getting everyone out from nearby buildings and there are several ambulances here."
Mrs Sellars, a retired teacher, who lives in Teignmouth, Devon, said she was on a shopping trip with relatives visiting from Australia when the incident happened.
She said: "We are trying to get out of the city centre but can't. We came on the bus but no buses are running. They have closed the bus station.
"I have never known anything like it. You might expect it in London or other big cities but not Devon.
"I'm hearing that one man has been injured."
Special branch detectives are investigating whether the real target may have been another shop in the area, possibly one which sells products which are tested on animals.
There have been attacks on shopping centres in the West Country over the past 25 years which have been linked to animal rights extremists.
The most serious was a fire which destroyed the Dingles store in Plymouth more than ten years ago.
Giraffe is part of a popular national chain of restaurants which have juice and salad bars.
It is popular with the scores of office workers who go into the brand new £120 million development for lunch and snacks.
The small blast happened at 12.50 when the restaurant was busy but police say there have been no serious injuries.
The entire shopping complex has now been evacuated by police and hundreds of shoppers and officer workers moved to a small grassy area of parkland in nearby Southernhay.
The Westcountry Ambulance Service say they have several units at the scene as a precaution but have not taken any casualties to hospital.
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: "At 12.50pm emergency services were called to an incident in Princesshay, Exeter.
"Initial reports say that one person has sustained an injury and is on his way to hospital. Premises nearby are being evacuated as a precaution.
"It is too early to speculate on what happened and officers are currently in the area ensuring the safety of the public.
"Whilst we are not fully aware of the circumstances of this incident it is believed that an explosion of some sort did take place."
Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer said: "We are carrying out a careful evacuation of the premises using the police and other emergency services that are at the scene.
"We will update the people of Exeter about what has happened as soon as we can. In the meantime I'd urge motorists to stay away from the city centre area and road delays are likely"
Shoppers say they were shocked by the explosion which left a man covered in blood in the Princesshay development in Exeter, Devon.
Office worker Mia Langston said she was out on her lunch break when she became aware of the attack.
Mia, who works at Ernst and Young accountants close to the Giraffe Cafi, said she was in the main High Street at the time.
She said: "Initially there were police cars and ambulances around the McDonalds and the Giraffe Cafe.
"I was told there was a man covered in blood who was refusing to leave the scene. I did not hear any explosion." Colleague Isobel Savage said: "I had been in the Giraffe Cafi for a cup of tea just hours before the explosion.
"There were quite a few people in there and it tends to be busier at lunchtime.
"I did not hear anything but also heard there was a man covered in blood. It is quite a shock. You certainly don't expect this in Exeter."
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
IRA? Argentinian?
Ali Akbar!
The last time some nut detonated a nail bomb in an eatery, it was a homophobe who targeted London’s Soho gay district.....
There have been attacks on shopping centres in the West Country over the past 25 years which have been linked to animal rights extremists.
PETA Eco-Terrorists.
I believev that this is another case of premature jihadulation..
How about that. IED’s in Devonshire.
You brought this upon your own heads, Brits. Next time, you WILL make all your shopping plazas Halal, and do not fail to pay the Jizyah tax on time...
While they are run out of their own towns, they lecture us on how to win in Iraq.
Many of their towns are majority muslim now, and most of the churches are converted into mosques.
Bad falafel.
Allahaha Fubar!!!
Those darn Amish again.
What? He had to go to the bathroom before he exploded?
Perhaps to adjust his * ahem * package.
“I believe that this is another case of premature jihadulation.”
That’s part of the reason why I avoid using public restrooms, if possible.
Good thinking..
Muslim convert
http://tinyurl.com/6gm4nh
source:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1021187/Muslim-convert-held-nail-bomb-blast-restaurant.html
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.