Injury toll from Turkey blast rises to 100

ANKARA, May 23 (Reuters) The number of injured in a bomb blast at a shopping mall in Turkey's capital Ankara has risen to 100, authorities said today, while police searched for clues as to who was behind the attack.

A powerful bomb at the entrance of the mall in the historic Ulus district killed six people during rush hour yesterday. Six Pakistanis were among the injured, authorities said.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said there was no Pakistani fatality as earlier reported by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

The explosion was believed to be the worst in at least a decade to strike the capital, which is heavily fortified.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the A-4 plastic explosives believed used in the blast pointed to the outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers Party a security source and newspapers said.

Turkish media said eight people had been detained in connection with the blast.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

Leading newspapers Hurriyet and Radikal said that the blast took place shortly before senior military commanders, including armed forces chief of General Staff, General Yasar Buyukanit were due to pass the area to go to a defence industry reception.

Reuters LPB VV1303