ISLAMABAD, Pakistan _ At least five Americans, including diplomats, were injured Saturday when an explosion ripped through an Italian restaurant in the heart of this city. At least one person was killed and about a dozen people were reported injured. News reports here said the dead person was a Turkish citizen who worked as a nurse, possibly for an international organization.
The restaurant is an expensive dining destination for foreigners living in this city and, if it was targeted because of that, it would mark the first time foreigners have been singled out for attack in Pakistan's rising tide of bombings. Two armored SUVs, one with a U.S. diplomatic license plate, were parked outside the restaurant after the explosion, which left a large crater.
The explosion came less than 48 hours before Pakistan's new parliament is expected to meet and was executed despite increased security in the capital, with police patrols sweeping up suspicious people throughout the city for the last day. While the most recent attacks in Pakistan have been suicide bombings, Saturday's appeared to have been set off with a timer or by remote control.