At least 17 people were killed and 26 seriously injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the main gate of this North West Frontier Province capital's judicial complex on Thursday in the ninth such attack here in two months.

A large number of lawyers were present in the court complex when a suicide bomber, after being stopped by a police officer, blew himself up, killing 17 people, including three policemen and two lawyers. Several vehicles were destroyed in the blast.