Bomb in Pakistan capital, air strikes on militants

By Zeeshan Haider

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A suicide bomber attacked police headquarters in Islamabad, air strikes targeting Islamist fighters killed 26 people, and children died in a roadside blast on Thursday as Pakistan's war with militants intensified.

President Asif Ali Zardari, widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who herself was killed in a suicide attack, said the government was not scared of militants and was determined to rid society of terrorism.

Officials reported at least eight wounded but no fatalities in the attack on the police complex housing an anti-terrorist squad on the outskirts of the capital.

"I am at the site of the blast. I have seen several people wounded, eight or nine," police official Khalid Mehmood said.

Police chief Asghar Raza Gardazi said the attacker entered the police building carrying two baskets of sweets and presented one of them to a policeman.

"The moment he gave basket to the policeman, an explosion took place," he said, adding three policemen were wounded.

The explosion occurred as Pakistan's newly appointed intelligence chief briefed lawmakers on the internal security threat for a second day in a closed joint session of parliament.

The bomber struck a target in a high security zone, though the city has been on high alert after a suicide truck bomb that killed 55 people and destroyed the Marriott hotel on Sept. 20.