Blast in Crowded Square Kills 9 in Algiers

A bomb-laden car exploded Thursday in a crowded square outside Algeria’s police headquarters when a police officer fired at it, state-run radio reported. The blast killed nine people, including three commandos in the car.

More than 100 people were injured. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but suspicion fell on Islamic extremists engaged in a 3 1/2-year-old insurgency against the military-backed government.