Bomb Rocks French Subway Station

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PARIS: A bomb ripped through a commuter train during the heart of rush hour in a French subway station Tuesday evening, killing at least two people and injuring 80 others. Seven of those wounded are said to be in "very serious" condition. According to state-run France Info radio, the blast occurred at 6:05 p.m. at the underground Port-Royal station, which serves the RER regional line. French Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who arrived on the scene soon after the blast, said no one has yet claimed responsibility, but suspicion immediately fell upon Algerian militants who had claimed responsibility for a string of similar bombings in 1995. Initial reports by French television said the bomb was created from a gas canister similar to those used in the 1995 attacks. The device was planted in the fourth train car, which was severely burned and had its doors blown off by the force of the explosion. A witness told France Info she heard a loud boom and smelled something like gunsmoke, similar to an odor at a firing range. Dozens of emergency officials rushed to the station, including an anti-terrorist squad and riot police.