The Battalion I G Pat Friday • January 17, Explosions blast buildings in Atlanta ATLANTA (AP) —Two explosions rocked a building containing an abor tion clinic an hour apart Thursday, and police said it appeared the clinic was targeted by an “explosive device.” Six people were injured. The explosions, which came as abortion rights advocates were an nouncing in Washington that anti-abortion violence had declined slight ly, shattered windows across the street and terrified bystanders. President Clinton condemned the explosions as “a vile and malevolent act” of terrorism. “Make no mistake: Anyone who brings violence against a woman trying to exercise her constitutional rights is committing an act of terror,” Clinton said. The first explosion was reported at 9:30 a.m. at the Atlanta Northside Family Planning Services, located on the ground floor of a five-story build ing that houses offices of lawyers, dentists and other professionals. No in juries were reported. An hour later, an explosion erupted from a trash container outside the building, injuring six people. “It appears that the clinic was the target of (that) explosion,” said police Lt. C.C. Cass. “We can’t confirm, but it appears to be some kind of explo sive device.” A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent investigating the first explosion had to be helped from the building and was taken to a hospital for observation. Two other people were treated and released, while three more were hospitalized for observation. t “I saw a couple of guys that were hurt,” said Mitchell Swain, who was sit ting in his car outside the building when the second blast came. “They were bn the ground. One guy was bleeding. Another guy was holding his head.” A half hour after the second explosion, the Piedmont Clinic, an abor tion center about a half-mile from the Atlanta Northside clinic, was evac uated after receiving a bomb threat. Police officers have been sent to oth er abortion clinics around the city as a precaution; the clinics said they Would remain open. Geralyn Thompson, a counselor at the Northside clinic, said she be lieved the first explosion occurred in the ceiling of the first floor. A co-work- er, Antoinette Sims, said she saw ceiling tiles falling. J “It shook the entire building,” Sims said. “The clinic was in ruins.” • Both women said they knew of no threats or protests before the explosions. Outside, two cars near the trash container were heavily damaged, and police evacuated everyone within 500 yards of the building. Witnesses who had gathered outside after the first explosion heard a loud boom and felt the concussion when the second one went off. They could see a bright flash and debris flying in the air. The first explosion rocked nearby buildings as well. “It shook the actual wall of my office, and I have a lot of glass around me,” said Craig Harris, sales manager at Auto Data Inc., across the street. “It definitely scared me. It sounded like an extremely close thunder strike .... but there was no rain. My second thought was that it was an explosion.” In Washington, at a news conference scheduled before the bombing, the Feminist Majority said there were fewer violent acts or threats against abortion clinics last year than in 1995. Abortion clinic building explosion A pair of bombs exploded at a building housing an abortion clinic in Atlanta Thursday morning. The five- story structure: 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Blast occurs at Atlanta Northside Family Planning Services on the ground floor. 10:30 a.m. Explosion erupts from a trash container near front of the building. ’"Times are approximate 10:30 a.m. Second explosion A T L A N T A Airport _ ® 283 *Drawing is schematic Source: AP research AP/Tracie Tso, Wm. J. Gastello A survey of 312 clinics showed about 30 percent of clinics reported acts or threats of violence last year, down from 39 percent in 1995. from 1995. The groups also noted that Wednesday will mark the 24th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Vicki Saporta, executive director of the National Abortion Federation, said the explosions showed “that abortion violence is a problem that is con tinuing at unacceptable levels.” Last month, there were three arson attempts at the A-Z Women’s Center in Phoenix, Ariz.; an armed robbery at Planned Parenthood of Dallas and North east Texas; and a doctor was stabbed at a Baton Rouge, La., abortion clinic. In 1994, John Salvi killed two receptionists at abortion clinics in Mass achusetts and former minister Paul Hill used a shotgun to kill two men out side a Pensacola, Fla., abortion clinic. A year earlier, Dr. David Gunn was shot to death at another Pensacola clinic. Hill was the first person convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances law, and was sentenced to two life terms. Campus Support groups meet with women Women who survived sexual abuse as children can turn to the Brazos County Rape Crisis Center for support. On Jan. 14 the center began of fering free weekly support groups for adolescent and adult female survivors of childhood sexual as sault or abuse. The adolescent group will meet on Mondays and the adult group will meet on Tuesdays. The group for adolescent fe male survivors of childhood sexu al assault or abuse will hold its first meeting Jan. 20. The adult fe male survivors group will meet for the first time on Jan. 21. For more information on meet ing times and locations, contact the Brazos County Rape Crisis Center at 268-7273. Gov. appoints new regents to board Gov. George W. Bush announced the appointment of three members of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Wednesday. Anne L. Armstrong, a rancher from Armstrong and former U.S. am bassador to Great Britain, is among the nominees Bush also appointed Erie Allen Nye of Dallas, president of Texas Utilities Company, and Dionel E. “Don” Aviles of Houston, owner of Aviles engineering company. The appointments must be con firmed by the Texas Senate. The regents will serve six-year terms and will replace Chairman Mary Nan West of Batesville, Alison Briscoe of Houston and Royce E. Wisenbaker of Tyler, whose terms expire this year. State County rules o hellish greetini KINGSVILLE(AP) — Inthi! ly little ranching town, “Hs wearing out its welcome. And Leonso Canales Jr.ii as heck. At his urging, the Weberr ty commissioners on Mi imously designated “Heaver-: the county's official greeting The reason: “Hello" con;; word “Hell.” “When you go to schoolano they tell you 'hell' is nega* ‘heaven’ is positive," said the5 old Canales, who owns the Krs Rea Market. “I think it's timer: set a new precedent, to te that we are positive adults.' Crime scene has '.WOUII no sign of intrudt KERRVILLE(AP) — A crii consultant who toured DarlieRi Dallas-area home after the of her two sons says he fou signs of the intruder she sassf mitted the crime. Routier, on trial for capital mi her sons’ stabbing deaths,saysa truder broke into the house, her and killed 6-year-old Devonai year-old Damon last June 6. But prosecution witness Cron, a 39-year law enforcement11 eran, testified Wednesdaythatlies j no evidence of that. Cron said he entered the home with police officersonthe ing of the murders to look for at|ii unusual, including pry marks on* dows or blood on walls. He testified that he sawfuji marks or other evidence that one broke into the house andirt of debris, blood or other Routier claims. Jan ‘New albu birch By Mich The B This day in history ► Weather , Today is Friday, Jan. 17, the 17th day of 1997. There |are 348 days left in the year. ! Today’s Highlight in History: ; On Jan. 17, 1946, Soviet ahd'Polish forces liberat- >ed Warsaw during World War II. The same day, Swedish ;diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving tens ■of thousands of Jews, disappeared in Hungary while in ,'Soviet custody. • In 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, i In 1893, Hawaii’s monarchy was overthrown as a 'group of businessmen and sugar planters forced Queen lliliuokalani to abdicate. ' In 1961, President Eisenhower warned in his farewell address of “the military-industrial complex.” In 1966, an Air Force B-52 carrying four unarmed hy drogen bombs crashed on the Spanish coast. In 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck South ern California, killing at least 61 people and causing $20 billion worth of damage. In 1995, more than 6,000 people were killed when an earthquake with a rpagnitude of 7,2 .devastated the city of Kobe, Japan. Ten years ago: Hundreds of, Ku Klux Klan.mernbers and supporters disrupted a “brotherhood anti-intimi dation march” through all-white Forsyth County, Ga. Today Tonight Tomorrow Today's birthdays Today’s Birthdays: Actress Betty White is 75. Balleri na-actress Moira Shearer is 71. Hair stylist Vidal Sassoon is 69. Actor James Earl Jones is 66. Ventriloquist Shari Lewis is 63. Talk show host Maury Povich is 58. Former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is 55. Rhythm-and-blues singer William Hart (The Delfonics) is 52. Singer Steve Earle is 42. Actor David Caruso is 41. Singer Paul Young is 41. Singer Susanna Hoffs (The Ban gles) is 40. Actor-comedian Jim Carrey is 35. Highs & Low Todays 4I°F The last time ty played in Bry it had a differer lineup, differen d no label. Other than , , „ has changed. Tonights Expected Lf i The band> f VonderJand, t 25°F , „ move-centered Tomorrow sExpecra tomoI Cloudy and cooler with north winds 10-15 mph. Mostly cloudy and cold with light winds. Clear and warmer with north winds 10-15 mph. High 50°F Tomorrow Night's Expected Low 32°F Information courtesy of TAMSC - Pepromi Roll; 326 Georse Bush Dr. 696-DAVE Die Harvey Rd. reserve -fy; mesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. master: Send address changes to The Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building,Texas A&M Dniveis® College Station,TX 77843-1111.