Death toll in Damascus cafe blast rises to 9 The death toll in a bomb blast that rocked a cafe in Damascus on Thursday rose to nine.  The bombing -- the deadliest since a suicide attack on a church last year -- also left 20 people injured. The blast took place near the capital's Palace of Justice, a key government building, sparking scenes of panic in the busy area. "The explosion that occurred in a cafe near the Palace of Justice in Damascus resulted from an explosive device planted in the location," state television said.