Second bomb threat proves false

The Christian Association received a bomb threat Friday morning, seven hours before a scheduled Arab-American dinner, but police investigators found no bomb in the building. Friday's bomb scare was the second on campus since the war in the Persian Gulf started on Wednesday. An unidentified man threatened to place a bomb in Logan Hall early Friday morning, but University and Philadelphia police found only air conditioner parts in the suspected box. On Friday, Philadelphia and University police responded to a 10:50 a.m. call from a CA employee. A Philadelphia police spokesperson said a caller told the CA employee the explosion would take place at 5:30 p.m., the time of the dinner. CA organizers said Friday they were worried that the threat would keep people away from the dinner-discussion, but CA Director Beverly Dale said she does not think it discouraged people from attending because "it was not that well-known." Dale, who said she is certain the bomb threat was linked to the anxiety stimulated by Gulf war, added that she does not expect it to be the last such threat the CA will receive during the time of the war. "It's the first time we've gotten [a threat]," Dale said Friday. "I don't anticipate it will be the last because we are promoting peacemaking and reconciliation . . . and there are those who don't believe in this approach." Dale said she does not know who made the call, but speculated that it was someone "unbalanced," who is "very worked up about the situation." "The temptation is to give in to the tension and be overwhelmed by the despair," Dale said. "But it is important for all of us to realize that life goes on and each of us needs to pray for peace and work for peace while the war is going on." Dale also said she thinks the CA is not the only building on campus and in the city to receive a bomb threat, but neither University or Philadelphia police had records of any other bomb scare.

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