Pakistan Blasts Kill 42 at Sufi Shrine

Twin suicide blasts killed at least 42 people at a Sufi shrine in Lahore, Pakistan, late yesterday. At least 175 people were injured. Thousands were visiting the shrine, which holds the remains of a saint revered by followers of Islam's mystical tradition, the BBC reports. Many blamed the attack on US troops in Afghanistan. "America is killing Muslims in Afghanistan and in our tribal areas, and militants are attacking Pakistan to express anger against the government for supporting America," a young shrine visitor told AP.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Islamist extremist groups consider Sufism to be heretical. The attack is the deadliest on a Sufi shrine since militant attacks in Pakistan began in 2001, and came the day after security forces hailed June as Pakistan's first month in 2 years without a suicide attack. (More Pakistan stories.)