UK: Attempted Suicide Bombing At Mall In Exeter?

That what it looks like (thanks to Watcher71).

Just happened this morning, apparently.

IT WAS A NAIL BOMB!

A "man" is in custody. Witnesses say he was trying to detonate a blast, and he ended up being the only one hurt.

Watcher 71 says: At a guess, it sounds like he entered the bathroom of the restaurant to arm the device, in the locked stall and the detonator went off in his face without actually detonating the device...Amateur night Jihad.

That's the way all suicide bombings ought to work.

From the London Times:

The centre of Exeter was evacuated today after an explosion at a city
centre restaurant which injured one man.

The blast happened at the
Giraffe restaurant at the recently-opened Princesshay shopping centre at around
12.50pm.

Police said they had evacuated all the shops in the area and
sealed off the city centre with police tape. Hundreds waited behind the cordon,
as local people were urged to avoid the area.

Later the cordon was
extended, moving the onlookers 100 yards further back. Exeter bus station was
evacuated and cordoned off, with all vehicles and passengers leaving the
complex.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “This is being
treated as a serious incident."
The injured man was taken to hospital some
miles away in Truro, Cornwall, police said.

Firearms officers were sent to the scene as well as sniffer dogs and
specialist search teams. A Royal Navy bomb disposal team brought out a remotely
controlled device to help investigate the area. A large number of police cars,
police vans and three fire engines were also in attendance.

The incident happened at a time when the recently opened shopping
centre would have been crowded with members of the public.

Juliette Joffe, a director of Giraffe, confirmed there was an explosion
inside the restaurant. Around 15 people would have been working there at the
time, she said.

“All we know at present is there was an explosion in the Giraffe in
Princesshay and the Princesshay has been evacuated,” she said.

Alison Fewins, 27, from Exeter, was shopping with her friend, Louise
Platt, also 27 said: “We were out shopping and were about three or four shops
away when we felt a vibration and heard a noise which we thought was building
work.

“We didn’t connect it with any kind of explosion. A few people were
running around and we heard police cars.”

She went on: “I am a bit shaken. It’s all a bit scary that it happened
here.”

Assistant Chief Constable Bob Spencer said: “We are carrying out a
careful evacuation of the premises using the police and other emergency services
that are at the scene.

“We will update the people of Exeter about what has happened as soon as
we can. In the meantime I’d urge motorists to stay away from the city centre
area and road delays are likely.”

More from Channel 4 News:

Witnesses said the man was hurt when he tried to
detonate the blast.

Officers said
his injuries were not life-threatening and he had been taken to hospital in
Truro, Cornwall, in police custody.

From the BBC:

A police spokesman said one man was in custody with "slight injuries". He
added the possibility of other devices in the area could not be ruled out.

Officers are currently evacuating the city's bus station and have
extended an exclusion cordon to include the Princesshay centre, Bedford Square,
High Street, Queen Street and Paris Street.
Bomb disposal experts have been
sent to the restaurant.

Police have asked stores in the area to retain any CCTV footage in case
it is needed at a later date.

'Three explosions'

Eyewitness Peter Lacey who was in the restaurant with his wife told BBC
News: "There were three explosions. It is my impression they sounded more like
gunshots than a bomb, like a lightbulb exploding.

"They came from a locked toilet."