The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.61/No.8           February 24, 1997 
 
 
Abortion Clinic Is Attacked Again In Tulsa  

BY ABBY TILSNER
ATLANTA - The Reproductive Services clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was attacked again February 2, for the third time since the start of the year. In the latest incident, several shots were fired at electronic monitoring gear at 3:30 p.m. The facility was closed at the time. Two bombs had exploded at the abortion clinic January 19, and it was hit with Molotov cocktails January 1. On February 6 federal police in Tulsa arrested a 15-year-old youth who they allege carried out all three attacks.

Meanwhile in Atlanta, Christine Stadler, a spokesperson for the owner of the Sandy Springs Office Building, stated the Northside Family Planning Services Clinic has decided not to reopen in the building. That clinic was hit by two bombs one hour apart on Jan. 16, The second bomb injured seven people. Another location for the clinic has not been disclosed.

The local news media continues to expound the theory that the bombing was the act of a terrorist aimed at killing the rescue workers and reporters and also looking for media attention. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution claims this was the first "two-bomb attack reported on U.S. soil, though the use of back-to-back bombs is a familiar tactic in Northern Ireland and the Middle East."

The second bomb was detonated by a timing device while the first was probably detonated by a fuse, which would have meant the bomber was at the site during the explosion. The second bomb also carried 3-inch concrete nails and 15- 20 sticks of dynamite aimed at injuring those in the area.

No one has been arrested for the clinics bombing in Atlanta. The increased police presence at the clinics in Georgia in the days after the bombings has been reduced to early morning patrols and drive-bys while the physicians are at the clinics.

The clinics are increasing their own defense, like at the Feminist Women's Health Center in Atlanta, which now only allows those who have appointments into the clinics. According to a representative of Georgia Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (GARRAL), there has been an increase in the number of volunteers for escorting at abortion clinics since the spate of bombings in the last month. Volunteers are organized by the Atlanta Pro-Choice Coalition (APAC).

GARRAL is focusing its efforts on lobbying against legislation for abortion waiting periods and against legislation banning so-called "partial birth" abortions.  
 
 
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