(New York Times) Greg Myre - After the suicide bombing on Sunday, the flesh and the bones were collected from the bus and the street, and delivered to Israel's forensic center where Dr. Jehuda Hiss carried out his grim duty of piecing together the broken bodies and tending to the raw emotions of the living. The police announced seven dead, but when Dr. Hiss and his team had developed genetic profiles on the remains, they discovered an eighth. "This person must have been sitting next to the bomber," Dr. Hiss said. The most awkward moment comes when families ask to see the victim. "I say it is better to remember them when they were living," Dr. Hiss said. About a quarter of the families insist. "I explain it's only part of the body. Still, they will hug a foot if that is all there is," he said. He used to reject such requests, but psychologists recommended otherwise.
2004-02-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive