Somalia's prime minister escaped unharmed in a blast that killed 10 and injured 60 as supporters turned out for a rally in Mogadishu's soccer stadium today.
A government official said investigators were looking into the cause and who might have been behind a blast that underlined the security fears that have kept Mr Gedi's government from returning from exile in Kenya.
"What happened was an accident, which will not deter us and the international community from continuing our common endeavour to relocating the government back to Somalia," Mr Gedi told reporters.
The government has sat in Kenya since it was formed in 2004 and is opposed by Islamic extremists and some of the country's many warlords. Somalia has been without a central government since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and a civil war ensued.
Today's blast happened about 30 feet from Mr Gedi and deputy parliament speaker Ismail Ilmi Boqore.
"We are still investigating what caused the explosion, who was behind it and the exact number of the casualties of the day," said Col Abdi Hassan Awale.
"Most of the people were injured in what was a virtual stampede," Mr Awale said.
Hundreds of people had gathered in the stadium to hear Mr Gedi who had arrived in Somalia on Friday for his first trip home since he took office. Hundreds of people cheered when he arrived at the airport, where members of Somalia's former military formed a guard of honour.
AP