POLICE H.Q. WRECKAGE - AMBULANCE MOVING AWAY - TROOPS - CAPTURED VIET CONG CAR




Initials AK/V/CR/K



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A HIGHLY-PLANNED ATTACK BY VIET CONG ON SOUTH VIETNAM'S NATIONAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN SAIGON YESTERDAY (MONDAY) ENDED WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION HEARD ALL OVER SAIGON, THE DEMOLITION OF THE END OF THE BLOCK OF BUILDINGS AND THE DEATHS OF 4 POLICEMEN.

THE RAIDERS LOADED EXPLOSIVE IN TWO CARS, AND WHILE TWO PRETTY GIRLS CHATTED TO THE GUARDS, THESE WERE DRIVEN INTO THE COURTYARD OF THE POLICE H.Q. A THIRD CAR WENT PAST, INSIDE IT A GROUP OF MEN ARMED WITH MACHINE-GUNS RAKED THE BUILDING WITH FIRE, KILLING TWO GUARDS.

INSIDE THE COURTYARD MEANWHILE, FUSES WERE BEING LAID TO THE EXPLOSIVE IN THE CARS: IT WENT OFF WITH AN ENORMOUS NOISE, SCATTERING DEBRIS OVER A LARGE AREA. SMOKE SCREEN BOMBS FIRED BY THE RAIDERS MASKED THEIR ESCAPE. ONE OF THE VIETCONG WAS SHOT BUT HIS COMRADES HELPED HIM TO A NEARBY CAR AND THEY ESCAPED.

THE ATTACK FOLLOWED SEVERAL SHOOTING INCIDENTS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE VIET CONG IN SAIGON. BUT IT IS THE FIRST MAJOR BOMB INCIDENT SINCE A FLOATING RESTAURANT WAS DYNAMITED TWO MONTHS AGO WITH CONSIDERABLE LOSS OF LIFE.