The official says cleric Farag Muftah al-Fitouri, a former military officer and a follower of Sufi mystical Muslim order, was killed today in the explosion. The official said the blast likely was triggered remotely.
The official described the killing as an assassination, but offered no motive for the attack. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.
The bombing is part of a campaign of targeted killings in the city since the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Authorities have blamed the killings on Islamists seeking revenge over a heavy security crackdown in the 1990s and militias.