At least 8 killed in twin blasts in Mogadishu: police

MOGADISHU -- At least eight people were killed in two suicide car bomb blasts on Saturday morning near Somalia's presidential palace in capital Mogadishu, police said.

The National Intelligence and Security Agency said that it had arrested the militant who was leading the attacks.

The first car bomb detonated at a checkpoint at Somali National Theater in the vicinity of the presidential palace. A second explosion followed in the same area.

A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that the two coordinated blasts could have caused a higher number of deaths and injuries.

"So far, we know that at least eight people killed in the blasts but the death toll could rise," said the police officer.

Eye witnesses said the explosions were so huge that they shook a wide radius.

"There were massive car bombs, causing panic among the residents. We don't know the number of casualties but we heard several people died," Mukhtar Abdi, a witness, told Xinhua.

Earlier reports said Mohamed Abdulahi, deputy governor of Mogadishu, was injured in the explosion while some of his bodyguards were killed.

A senior reporter from Universal Television died during the blast, but the fate of his colleagues is yet to be established, according to the reports.

Somali militant group al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.