Terror alert as al-Qaida arrests spark violence

Pakistan has barred major gatherings and sent police to guard mosques today after two devastating attacks killed 70 people within a week in suspected sectarian attacks – raising concern this key US anti-terror ally might witness a spiral of bloodshed.

The ban applied to both political and religious gatherings, but Friday prayers at mosques were exempt, and hundreds of additional police were deployed outside places of worship to head off any new violence.