A bomb went off in a car in Rishon Letzion shortly before 2 P.M. Friday, in what police said was a criminally-motivated bombing, not a terror attack.

One person, the driver of the car that blew up, was killed in the blast.

Police said the blast was the work of a rival crime gang, not Palestinian terrorists, as initially feared.

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Police identified the dead man as Yossi Afriat, a mid-level debt collector and close associate of the underworld Aberjil family. Afriat had a lengthy police record, police said.

A number of attempts had been made on Afriat's life in the past. He was shot at a number of months ago but escaped unscathed.

At least five others were wounded in the attack, sustaining light to moderate wounds. Two police officers were among the wounded and the other casualties appeared to be passersby unconnected to the attack.

Among the wounded was a 10-year-old boy and a baby, the Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said.

Medical officials said another 13 people suffering from shock were later hospitalized.

The blast took place on the corner of Herzl and Hacarmel streets, an intersection that is usually crowded on Friday afternoons.

A preliminary investigation indicates that a powerful explosive device went off in the car while it was stopped at a red traffic light. The car was destroyed.

Cars at the junction and buildings as far as 200 meters away were damaged. Police closed the area and bomb experts were on the site, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld.

Police at the scene said the blast appeared to be criminal because the bomb was under the driver's seat and only the driver was killed in the attack.

Police central region commander Major General Dudi Cohen said a major disaster was prevented when the very large and powerful bomb was detonated without causing additional casualties.

"If the vehicle had exploded slightly further along the street, we would have had more casualties," Cohen said.

Following the blast, police closed major streets in Rishon Letzion, causing major traffic tie-ups.

Palestinian suicide bombers traditionally carry out attacks aimed at causing the highest number of casualties.

The explosion took place as police were tightening security ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday, which begins Sunday night.