Posted on 06/19/2002 11:01:34 PM PDT by kattracks
The Palestinian suicide bomber who blew himself up near a Border Police patrol on Monday was not infected with the virus that causes AIDS, according to initial tests, Health Ministry officials said yesterday.
There were no casualties in the attack near Kibbutz Bahan, north of Tulkarm. Afterward, rumors spread that the 17-year-old assailant was HIV-positive.
Health Ministry spokesman Ido Hadari said a sample of blood from the bomber was tested Tuesday and proved negative. He said a second, more accurate, test was still being done and that results were expected today.
Prof. Yehuda Hiss, director of the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir, said blood samples of bombers were routinely being tested for the HIV virus.
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