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Gunman Shoots Up B’nai B’rith International Hq; No One Injured

November 4, 1980
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An unidentified gunman using on automatic weapon fired nine bullets into the glass doors of the B’nai B’rith International headquarters building here early yesterday morning and fled in a cor. No one was injured.

A short time later, the Washington Post received an anonymous telephone call from a man who said he was a member of “the Christian Anti-Zionist League” and claimed that he had fired the shots. Neither the police nor the B’nai B’rith have heard of such a group.

Dr. Daniel Thurz, executive V.P. of B’nai B’rith, said “Obviously this is frightening and disturbing but we have no way of knowing whether it is the activity of one deranged person or a group.”

Thursz added that “until more evidence is obtained we cannot see this as anything more than an isolated incident.” The only eye-witness was a security guard near the doors of the B’nai B’rith building who saw the assailant flee but could make no identification. The guard was protected by the bullet-proof glass which was only partially penetrated by the shots.

The B’nai B’rith building has been under “extremely tight” security since members of the Hanafi Moslem sect invaded it three years ago and seized hostages who were subsequently released.

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