41.   HAMAS, violently opposed to the Israeli-PLO autonomy accord, blamed the explosion on Israel and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.

42.   Initially, police blamed the explosion on a cigarette which had set fire to a waste-paper basket and triggered a chain reaction.

43.   Fatah officials blamed the explosion in Palestinian-controlled territory on Israel, saying that it planted a bomb in an assassination bid.

44.   No one claimed responsibility for the blast, but previous bomb explosions have been blamed on Moslem militants.

45.   Pakistani authorities blamed the explosions on agents of the Indian secret service.

46.   Police chief Mahinder Sabherwal, speaking from the scene, blamed the explosion on Moslem militant separatists opposed to Indian rule in the disputed state.

47.   Police chief Mahinder Sabherwal, speaking at the scene, blamed the explosion on Moslem militant separatists opposed to Indian rule in the disputed state.

48.   Police chief Mahinder Sabherwal blamed the explosion on Moslem militant separatists opposed to Indian rule in the disputed state.

49.   The explosion has been blamed on methane gas that leaked into the mine although it is still unclear what ignited the gas.