One killed, many hurt in grenade attack at Kenyan church

At least one person was killed and a dozen wounded in a grenade attack at a church in the Kenyan capital on Sunday, the latest in a series of attacks in the east African country since it sent troops into neighbouring Somalia. The blast was in a working class area of the city, police and Kenya Red Cross officials said.

"I can confirm that one person is believed to be dead," police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

The government has blamed previous attacks on Somali-based rebels al Shabaab, which formally merged with al Qaeda this year, but police said it was too early to say who was behind the blast at the church.

"Chairs are thrown about and there is blood on the floor," said Daniel Mutinda, a Kenya Red Cross official at the church made of iron sheet. In late March, one person was killed when a grenade was hurled at a Christian meeting near the port city of Mombasa. A second explosion minutes after struck a bar near Mombasa's main stadium. The attacks on Mombasa followed one in the capital earlier last month at a bus station which killed at least nine people. There have also been attacks near the border with Somalia following Kenya's deployment of troops there last October.