Police in Peshawar, Pakistan continued their investigation on Saturday to try to identify a suicide bomber who killed at least 50 people during a holiday prayer service.
The blast on Friday happened at a crowded mosque in the northwestern part of the country.
Security officers arrested seven students from an Islamic school hours after the blast, which apparently targeted Pakistan's former interior minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao.
The bomber struck a mosque inside the politician's residential compound during prayers for the Islamic holy day of Eid al-Adha.
Sherpao escaped harm, but one of his sons was wounded and at least 50 people were killed.
The former minister survived an earlier suicide attack at a rally in a nearby town eight months ago that killed 28 people.
The latest attack deepened the sense of uncertainty in Pakistan ahead of Jan. 8 parliamentary elections in which Sherpao is a candidate.
Police collected pieces of clothing, shoes, prayer mats and body parts from the scene of Friday's bombing, and investigators were examining them for clues to identify the bomber, an official involved in the probe said.
"We are looking at how it happened and who did it," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf condemned the blast and directed security and intelligence agencies to track down those responsible, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the attack.
The bomber was in a row of worshippers when he detonated the explosive, provincial police chief Sharif Virk said Friday.
Related
More World Headlines »
- Obama, McCain surge as New Hampshire polls open
- Following his surprise victory in Iowa, Illinois Senator Barack Obama headed into the New Hampshire primary with a lead over Hillary Rodham Clinton, while the Republican battle remained tight, according to polls.
- Bush to promote Palestinian state on Mideast tour
- U.S. President George W. Bush said he will urge political leaders to lay out a vision for a Palestinian state when he tours the Middle East.
- Bhutto's son says he doesn't trust Pakistani officials
- Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called Tuesday for a UN-led investigation into his mother Benazir Bhutto's death, saying he didn't trust government officials to be appropriately transparent.
- Sentencing hearing begins for Padilla in U.S. terrorism support case
- A sentencing hearing for Jose Padilla — a U.S. citizen detained as an enemy combatant and convicted on terrorism support charges — and two other men began Tuesday in Miami.
- Kenya's opposition leader refuses to meet with president
- Kenya's opposition leader said Tuesday he will not meet with President Mwai Kibaki to discuss a solution to an election dispute that has sparked widespread violence in the African country.
World Features
Blog Watch
Most Blogged about CBC.ca Articles