Bomb Injures 41 Near Paris

PARIS — A bomb explosion ripped through a department store cafeteria crowded with shoppers at lunchtime today in a Paris suburb known as “Little Manhattan,” injuring 41 people, two of them seriously, officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but police said the bomb appeared to be of the same type that exploded at the Paris City Hall on Monday, killing one person and injuring 18.

Twelve people, all of Mideast origin, were jailed Thursday in connection with the city hall bombing. (Story on Page 8.)

Interior Minister Charles Pasqua visited the scene of today’s explosion and said police were “actively searching” for an Arab-looking man of about 25 seen fleeing the scene.