Foiled suicide attack on mosque, one dead: police

ISLAMABAD,: A would-be suicide bomber attacked a mosque on the edge of the capital Friday, killing a security guard, police said, but was shot dead before he could detonate his explosives.

The attack in Bhara Kahu, a village on the northeastern outskirts of Islamabad, came hours after gunmen opened fire on worshippers leaving prayers for the Eid al-Fitr festival at a mosque in Quetta.

"A suicide bomber targeted a mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad in Bhara Kahu area but could not explode himself due to timely interception by a private security guard," police officer Nasir Mehmood told AFP.

"The guard opened fire on the bomber as he entered the mosque and killed him. He could not explode his jacket."

Another police official, Majeed-ur-Rehman, said a guard was killed in an exchange of fire with the bomber before he was shot dead. Another police official confirmed the death.

TV channels showed the body of the bomber lying in the main prayer hall of the mosque. Two cables going up from his left arm could also be seen.