Australia: Suicide Bombing

A man died overnight in an apparent suicide bombing in a northern Perth suburb. West Australian police said the man is believed to have strapped explosives to his body before walking outside his home and detonating them late last night. Inspector Cath Bullen said one person was killed in the blast but it was not clear if others were injured. She could not confirm reports the incident was a suicide bombing, AAP reports.

"At this point in time all we can confirm is there was an explosion," Inspector Bullen said. Trauma counselling was being offered to residents who witnessed the incident, she said. Neighbour Adam Goodwin, 18, said residents of the normally quiet street were in shock.

"We were all in the house watching movies," he told the ABC news team. "We actually thought it was the movie at first but then the whole house vibrated.

"We thought a firework had hit our roof but we actually heard some one shouting or screaming ... we were pretty shocked." Police were called to Brammen Elbow, in the northern suburb of Merriwa, at about 11.30pm (WST) last night after reports of an explosion. Police cordoned off the residential street, and the bomb squad remained at the scene.

Henry L. Marconi Pravda.Ru Sydney, Australia