At least 18 people were injured Sunday when a bomb went off under a car parked near an Israeli-owned hotel in the center of Prague.
Czech police said that the explosion was an attempt to kill the casino's owner, an Israeli underworld figure whose father, was shot dead two years ago at the entrance to the establishment.
Four people were said to be in a serious condition as a result of Sunday's attack, while the remainder sustained light injuries. Officials said tourists from Britain, Germany, Slovakia and the United States were among those hurt in the blast, which Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross called "a case of gangs settling accounts" in a radio interview.
The bomb went off at about 12:30 P.M. (1030 GMT) in a popular pedestrian zone in downtown Prague with many restaurants and cafes.
A man threw the explosive device under a car outside a casino shortly after several people got in, police spokeswoman Iva Knolova told The Associated Press.
Most of the injured were sitting in a restaurant outside the casino.
The Czech prime minister said investigators had a good description of the man who committed the crime. (albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
