Police stand guard at the blast spot at a restaurant in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, March 15, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

The Islamabad police have rounded up as many as 232 people, most of them students of religious seminaries, following the bomb explosion at an Italian restaurant in Islamabad, a senior police officer said Sunday.

The News Network International news agency quoted the chief of Islamabad police Syed Kalim Imam as saying that these people were arrested during a hunt in the capital.

The security officials deployed at the US embassy also visited the blast site and collected evidences. However, the Islamabad police chief denied the participation of the US officials in the investigation of the incident.

He said that only Pakistan officials are authorized to probe into the case.

A Turkish nurse working at the US embassy was killed and 11 others, including eight foreigners, were also injured when a bomb ripped through the restaurant at the city's Super Market.

The injured foreigners included two Japanese journalists, American, British, Canadian as well as Pakistani nationals. The Luna Caprese was closed after the blast.

The police recorded the statements of the employees working in the restaurant and checked the record of customers who came to the place till the evening.

The anti-terrorism experts made a conclusion that the bombing at the restaurant was not a suicide attack and explosives were also not thrown from outside. Rather, the explosive devise was planted in the premises of the restaurant.

The police also arrested some people from the Afghan population in the adjoining areas of federal metropolis.

Kalim is also leading an investigation team with officials from the police special branch and Federal Investigation Agency.

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2008)