BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — Officials say at least two people are dead and 45 wounded in an attack on a Catholic church in northern Nigeria.
Police say a suicide car bomber pulled up to the church's gate during Mass and detonated his explosives.
There's been no claim of responsibility, but the attack took place in a region that's been under assault by a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram (BOH'-koh hah-RAHM').
The sect is blamed for other suicide car bombings, including a deadly attack on a Catholic church near Nigeria's capital last Christmas.
More than 680 people have died in bombings and drive-by killings this year, according to an Associated Press count.
Attacks against churches have waned in recent weeks. Nigeria's military has increased its presence in northern cities and last week said it had killed the sect's spokesman and one of its commanders.
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127-c-16-(Jon Gambrell, AP correspondent)-"of their injuries"-AP correspondent Jon Gambrell reports an Associated Press journalist heard the blast go off around 9 a.m. local time and rushed over to the scene of the attack. (23 Sep 2012)
<<CUT *127 (09/23/12)>> 00:16 "of their injuries"
128-c-16-(Jon Gambrell, AP correspondent)-"across the country"-AP correspondent Jon Gambrell reports the attack bears all the hallmarks of previous assaults carried out by a radical Islamist group Boko Haram. (23 Sep 2012)
<<CUT *128 (09/23/12)>> 00:16 "across the country"
