DAMASCUS  --  A suicide attacker detonated his explosives in central Damascus Friday, killing and wounding dozens of people, state TV said. The TV footage as well as an official suggested that the target of the attack was a police bus.

Syrian television said the explosion went off at an intersection in the central Damascus neighborhood of Midan, while scores of people were in the area. It said most of the casualties were civilians.

The explosion comes two weeks after two blasts in Damascus targeting security buildings killed 44 people.

A Syrian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to talk publicly to the media, said the target of the attack appeared to be a bus carrying policemen.

Syrian TV showed angry men carrying the remains of a human being and also showed a damaged bus that had blood on its seats as well as riot police helmets.

``This is a criminal terrorist act,'' a man shouted in footage aired on Syria TV. (AP)