France News

French island of Corsica in car bomb attack

Friday, 24 July 2009

French island of Corsica in car bomb attack

The French Mediterranean island of Corsica has suffered an attack by car-bombers who exploded such a device outside a police station in the town of Vescovato.

A Corsican government spokesman explained to the AFP news agency that fortunately only material damage had occurred and there were no people killed in the blast, although the son of a gendarme was thrown off his bicycle by the force of the explosion.

It is reported that a gas bottle was set up in the car and was detonated at around 0600 local time (0400 GMT). The vehicle was blown to pieces in the resulting blast from the car bomb.

Separatists opposed to French rule have mounted similar minor terrorist attacks on the island before this incident, however, this was the first car bomb on the island since 2006.

French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux described the attack as a "totally irresponsible act."

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