Booby trap kills eight at Pakistani checkpoint

A bomb-laden car exploded in north-western Pakistan today as police were trying to pull a body from the vehicle, killing seven policemen and a passer-by.

It appeared to be the first time militants in Pakistan had targeted security forces by using a body as a lure, and it underscored the challenge facing Pakistan as it tries to root out al-Qaida, Taliban and other insurgents based along its border with Afghanistan.