Bomb sets fire to tanker truck at Israel's biggest fuel depot

Associated Press WriterTEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- A bomb attached to a tanker truck exploded Thursday at a huge fuel depot near densely populated Tel Aviv -- part of what experts said is a relentless new campaign by Palestinian militants to carry out a large-scale terror attack.

The blast caused no injuries, but set security officials on edge. Along with dozens of suicide bombings aimed at killing Israeli civilians, Palestinian militant groups are looking for a huge target of Sept. 11 proportions, experts said.

"The terror organizations moved today to a new phase of attacks," said Ehud Yatom, a former security official. He told Israel Radio the attempted attack at Israel's biggest fuel depot was similar to the attack on the World Trade Center, where airborne terrorists used thousands of pounds of jet fuel as a huge bomb.

Also this week, Israeli security officials released details of a thwarted plan to set off a ton of explosives under Tel Aviv 's tallest office building complex.

On Wednesday night, a suicide bomber killed himself and two Israelis in Rishon Letzion, nine miles south of the fuel depot. A militia affiliated with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement claimed responsibility, while the Palestinian Authority denounced the bombing, saying it would give Israel an excuse to retaliate.

In Gaza, a Palestinian laborer was shot and killed by Israeli forces, Palestinians said. It happened near the town of Rafah on the Gaza-Egypt border, scene of almost daily clashes. The Israeli military said soldiers fired at a Palestinian who threw a grenade at them.

In a political development Thursday, five members of a Palestinians' Central Elections Committee submitted their resignations to Arafat after he ailed to set a date for new elections, an official close to the panel said. There was no comment from Arafat's office.

Arafat has been under heavy pressure from Israel, the United States, Europe and his own people to reform his corruption-ridden regime, call elections and streamline his security forces. Israeli and U.S. leaders insist Arafat must work to prevent terror attacks by Palestinian militants.

The Thursday morning blast at the depot ignited diesel fuel spilling from the truck and left the cabin a melted wreck, but the flames were extinguished before they could spread to nearby tanks containing millions of gallons of fuel. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The fuel depot, next to residential areas and near sensitive Israeli intelligence installations, contains huge above-ground fuel tanks. Residents and environmentalists have long worried the depot might blow up accidentally or be the target of terror attacks.

"A huge disaster has been averted." said Yossi Sedbon, the Tel Aviv police chief. "It was a miracle."

Israel TV showed a map with concentric circles starting at the Pi Glilot depot, predicting widespread destruction throughout the Tel Aviv area if the depot exploded.

Shlomi Sarig, acting manager of the depot, said there had been warnings of a possible attack, and security had been increased. However, security guards who checked the truck at the entrance failed to spot the bomb attached to its chassis.

Hours after the attack, Israel Radio reported that a nearby city, Ramat Hasharon, issued an order closing the depot until further notice. The depot's land is under the city's jurisdiction.

Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer acknowledged that Israel's recent military offensive in the West Bank had heightened motivation among militants to carry out attacks. "We are faced with waves of suicide bombers," he said, adding, "when I say waves, I know what I'm talking about."

In a leaflet sent to The Associated Press, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militia claimed responsibility for Wednesday's suicide bombing, saying it was retaliation for Israel's killing the same day of Mahmoud Titi, the Al Aqsa Brigade leader in Nablus. Three other Palestinians also were killed in the attack.

Thousands of Palestinians on Thursday joined the funeral procession for the militiamen, chanting "revenge, revenge."

Also Thursday, Palestinian security officials said two Palestinians were killed when a bomb they were constructing in a house exploded prematurely; the Israeli military said Israeli soldiers arrested 22 Palestinians in four raids in the West Bank.