Palestinian ambassador to Czech Republic killed by safeexplosion( Xinhua) 17:39, January 02, 2014 PRAGUE, Jan. 1 -- Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic Jamal Al Jamal waskilled on Wednesday by an explosion caused by inexpert manipulation of a safe in thesitting room according to the investigation as yet, said Prague Police spokeswoman AndreaZoulova.
She said it was not an act of terrorism, adding the investigation continues and the policestill check several versions.
She said the safe was strongly damaged and the safety system of the safe may haveexploded.
Czech Police President Martin Cervicek also ruled out the possibility of terror attack.
"I can say now there exists not a sole indication that would point to an act of terrorism orany other way of attacking the persons who were moving around the premises," saidCervicek on Czech public television.
"The units that cooperate in the anti-terrorism struggle and the like are now checkingcertain information," He said, adding bomb-disposal experts are still checking all spacesconcerned, the investigation is only in its initial stage and that an expert opinion will still beneeded.
He said that the Czech police will look into why explosives were on the premises of thefuture Palestinian embassy in Prague-Suchdol where they should not have been.
He would not say whether the police found other weapons or explosives in the buildings.
According to local media report, the blast could have been caused by an explosive system.The ambassador's wife and son escaped unscathed.
A 52-year-old woman was treated on the spot and then taken to the Prague-MotolHospital on suspicion she inhaled by-product gases and over a stress reaction.
According to as yet unconfirmed information by Czech media, the explosion occurred whena safe placed in the house was opened.
Police evacuated 51 people in the vicinity of the Palestinian ambassador's residence tofacilitate investigation, and they have returned home at present.
Czech Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Johana Grohova said that the ministry will notcomment on the matter as long as the police investigation is underway.
"We express our sympathies on the ambassador having succumbed to the injuries," shesaid earlier in the day.
Chief surgeon Daniel Langer of the Central Military Hospital in Prague, where Jamal AlJamal was treated, said that the ambassador suffered chest, stomach and head injuries.
The Palestinian ambassador officially assumed the post on Oct. 11, 2013. He moved to theresidence where is to be a new seat of the Palestinian embassy a few days ago. Theexplosion did not cause damage outside of the house.
（Editor：YanMeng、Yao Chun） Related reading
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