Explosion at Israeli Weapons Development Plant, page 1

Today there was an explosion at Rafael arms development plant near Haifa in Israel. Some workers were injured in the blast which occured while they were doing some kind of test. They say the explosion was a "working accident" and not caused by terror. Rafael makes sophisticated weapons.

Haaretz: Five hurt, two moderately, in blast at defense plant north of Haifa

27/02/2006

Five people were injured, two of them moderately and the rest lightly, in an explosion Monday during a test at Rafael arms development plant in Kiryat Bialik, near Haifa. The loud blast at Rafael, the weapons development arm of the Defense Ministry, was heard across Haifa Bay in northern Israel. Ambulances raced to the scene.

Moshe Weizman, a regional police spokesman, said that "we are not talking about a suicide attack." "It is a work accident. We don't know exactly what," he told Army Radio.

Rafael makes sophisticated weapons, including missiles, tank armor and electronic warfare systems. Local fire officials said there hasn't been an accident at the site in the past 20 years.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I wonder what caused this accident. I guess we might or might not get to know more details later.

Psychology Central: RAFAEL Armament Development Authority

RAFAEL Armament Development Authority, known as RAFAEL or Rafael, (also spelled as Raphael or Rephael, and in Hebrew: רפא"ל - רשות לפיתוח אמצעי לחימה) is the Israeli authority for development of weapons and military technology. Rafael is a former sub-division of the Israeli Defence ministry and is considered a governmental firm.

Rafael develops and produces fighting-technologies for the Israel Defence Forces as well for exporting abroad. All current projects are, of course, secret.