by Charly Wegman
BEERSHEVA, Israel, Aug 31 (AFP) - At least 12 people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a twin suicide bomb attack on two buses in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva Tuesday, police and medical sources said.
Ten of those being treated in hospital were in either serious or critical condition, said sources from Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross.
Police sources said one bomber had boarded each of the buses several moments before the explosions in the center of the city.
"This attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who carried their charges for three minutes on the buses before blowing themselves up," one source said.
The explosions went off shortly before 3 pm (1200 GMT) near the city hall, completely destroying one of the buses and setting the second on fire.
The two buses were 100 metres (yards) apart when the blasts occurred. Several charred bodies wrapped in plastic were still seen lying next to the remains of one of the vehicles.
Police spokesman Gil Kleiman said that no specific warnings had been received prior to the blasts but said there had been "general warnings".
Initial reports said there had been a third explosion in a nearby commercial center but the police said it was a false alarm.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told by army radio as saying his government would not relax in its "fight against terror.
"We have to fight terror: that is what my government is doing. The struggle against terror will be pursued to the fullest extent," he said.
The last Palestinian attack in Israel was on July 11, when one young female soldier was killed in a blast at a bus stop.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Beersheva blasts by any Palestinian faction.
Negotiations minister Saeb Erakat said the Palestinian Authority condemned any attack which targeted civilians
"The Palestinian Authority condemns attacks which target civilians, whether they be Israeli or Palestinian," Erakat told AFP.
The attack came hours after Israeli guards manning the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip thwarted a suicide attack when they detained a man who had been carrying an explosives belt.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman David Saranga said the attack was proof of the Palestinian government`s failure to crack down on militant organisations as laid down in the troubled roadmap peace plan.
While Israel is trying to move forward by implementing the disengagement plan (which involves a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip), the answer of the Palestinian terror organisations is more attacks," he told AFP.
"We call on the PA (Palesitnian Authority), once again, to dismantle the terror infrastructure, to collect illegal weapons and to carry out their obligations under the roadmap."