Blast Hits Syria State TV http://www.english.moqawama.org/essaydetails.php?eid=20662&cid=274

Local Editor A bomb blast rocked the headquarters of Syrian state television in the heart of Damascus on Monday wounding several people, Information Minister Omran al-Zoabi said."It is clear that the blast was caused by an explosive device,"al- Zoabi stated and pointed out that "several of our colleagues were injured, but there were no serious injuries, and no deaths." He blamed Qatar, Saudi Arabia and "Israel" for the attack. Syrian authorities accuse the Gulf countries and "Israel" of supporting the rebels. "Nothing can silence the voice of Syria or the voice of the Syrian people," al-Zoabi said while inspecting the damage at the TV building. "We have a thousand locations to broadcast from."A broadcaster said that the blast hit the third floor of its headquarters. It remained on the air despite the bombing. The footage showed destroyed walls, overturned desks, blown-out cabinet doors, broken glass and dangling electricity cables. A few TV workers were shown tending to a wounded colleague.The television building is located in the Omayyad district of Damascus, a highly guarded area surrounded by multiple security barriers. The bombing was not the first attack on the pro-government media in Syria. Syrian armed group claimed responsibility for the abduction and killing of a television presenter, and threatened further executions against pro-regime journalists.On June 27, gunmen armed with explosives attacked the offices outside Damascus of the Al-Ikhbariya satellite channel outside Damascus killing three journalists and four security guards .