Bomb at N.C. Abortion Clinic Explodes Partially; No Injuries

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A bomb planted outside an abortion clinic exploded partially Saturday, causing no injuries and little damage.

It was unknown whether there might be any link to serial bombing suspect Eric Robert Rudolph, who is believed to be hiding in a mountainous area less than 75 miles away. FBI spokeswoman Joanne Morley said: “At this stage, we don’t discount anything.”

The clinic received no warning before the blast.

Police initially said two bombs had been planted at the Femcare clinic, but the FBI determined that a second device found in the vicinity was actually a piece of the exploded bomb. Morley said the second device had the potential to explode.

The bomb had been placed outside the clinic, next to a wall near the waiting room, Asheville Police Chief Will Annarino said. It went off about half an hour before the clinic was to open.

“It appeared to be a very large device,” Annarino said.

Homes and businesses near the building were evacuated, and police cordoned off the road around the Orange Street clinic in a neighborhood several blocks from downtown Asheville. More residents were evacuated when the second device was found.

FBI and Asheville bomb teams disarmed what was left of the bomb. Investigators would not elaborate on its structure.

Femcare was one of several clinics nationwide last month that received packages said to contain the potentially deadly bacterium anthrax. Nothing was found inside the packages sent to the clinics.

President Clinton, in Little Rock, Ark., said he was deeply disturbed to learn about the bombing.