Deadly car bomb blast in Somalia's capital, say police A Somali police officer says at least seven dead people died in a powerful car bomb explosion in Somalia's capital Monday

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Somalia's homegrown extremist rebels, al-Shabab, have claimed responsibility for a car bomb explosion on Monday that killed at least seven people in Somalia's capital.

Al-Shabab said its website that the attack was aimed at a gathering of government officials and security and intelligence personnel.

At least nine people were also injured in the blast by an explosives-laden car parked near a mall close to Mogadishu's local government offices in the Hamarweyne district, said Police Capt. Mohamed Hussein.

Al-Shabab, who are linked to al-Qaida, have been ousted from Mogadishu and most other urban centers in the south and central areas of the country, but the group continues to carry out deadly suicide attacks in Somalia and neighboring countries.