Bombing near residence of militant leader kills 3 in Lahore

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A powerful car bomb went off near the residence of a jailed anti-India militant leader in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, killing at least three people and wounding 15 others, police and rescue officials said.

The blast happened in the Johar Town neighborhood, provincial police chief Inam Ghani told reporters. He said officers were still trying to determine whether it was a suicide bombing or the bomb was remotely detonated.

Ghani said some police officers were also among the wounded persons.

He confirmed that the bombing happened near the residence of anti-India militant leader Hafiz Seed, who has been designated a terrorist by the U.S. Justice Department and has a $10 million bounty on his head. Saeed is the founder of an outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which was blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

TV footage showed badly damaged homes, and many residents said it was a bomb attack. Doctors say some of the wounded were in critical condition.

Babar Dogar, The Associated Press