Explosion outside Moscow McDonald's restaurant injures 7

MOSCOW -- A car bomb exploded Saturday outside a McDonald's restaurant in southwest Moscow that was crowded with lunchtime customers, injuring at least seven people.

Officials disagreed on whether the explosion was a terrorist act or part of the criminal underworld violence that plagues Russia.

"Without doubt it was a terrorist act," said Igor Pimenov of the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, noting that the homemade bomb was stuffed with shrapnel to maximize the damage.

But Valery Grebokin, a Moscow police spokesman, said at the scene that preliminary information suggested it was "a criminal act" and not the work of terrorists. He said the two-story glass-fronted McDonald's restaurant is located outside the city center and not one of the American chain's more prominent establishments in Moscow.

Competitors suspected

Investigators are looking into "possible showdowns between the McDonald's owners and its competitors," Moscow Prosecutor Mikhail Avdyukov was quoted as telling Interfax news agency.

The explosion, which happened shortly after 1 p.m., injured at least seven people, including a 5-year-old girl -- many cut by flying glass from the restaurant's front windows as they ate their meals inside, said rescue worker Sergei Tsimburtsum.

One of the injured was in extremely serious condition, but rescue workers said that the others were expected to live. Earlier, rescue workers had said that one person had died at the scene.

None of the restaurant's workers were injured, said Svetlana Plyakova, a spokeswoman for McDonald's of Russia.

The red Russian-made car loaded with the bomb had been parked near the McDonald's drive-through window. The ITAR-Tass news agency, citing bomb disposal experts, said the device contained 11 pounds of TNT. But Grebokin suggested the device may have been less powerful, the Interfax agency reported.

The force of the blast ripped off the back half of the car, scattering pieces around the restaurant's parking lot and front entrance. Part of the car was visible on top of the restaurant, which itself was pockmarked from the shrapnel.

McDonald's trademark golden arches were full of holes. Windows of nearby cars were blown out.

Investigators from Russia's Federal Security Service were at the scene collecting evidence. There was so much debris they ran out of bags and were stuffing the charred remains of the car into paper McDonald's sacks.

"I drove up and then suddenly there was a strong explosion. I was in shock. It was horrible," said one eyewitness, who had cuts on his hands and face. He gave only his first name, Sergei.

Witnesses said that the explosion, which happened near the capital's South-West metro station, could be heard from far away.

McDonald's, which is popular with young Russians and families, has about 20 restaurants in the capital, many located in the center of the city in areas crowded with pedestrians.

Police had identified the owner of the car, Interfax said, and were searching for him Saturday.