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9 killed in Colombo blast

COLOMBO: At least nine people including seven police personnel were killed and over 95 injured as a suspected suicide LTTE cadre rammed his motorbike into a bus carrying police personnel in the high security zone close to the Presidential Secretariat here on Friday.

This is the first major attack after the May 10 election to the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) and came hours before the rebel faction LTTE leader, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilliyan was sworn in as Chief Minister by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The policemen were to be deployed to tackle any eventuality arising out of a protest march planned by the opposition over the alleged irregularities in the election.

The bike appears to have packed with high power explosives.

Within hours after the tragedy, Mr. Rajapaksa said he “unreservedly condemns the latest act of cowardice and brutality by the LTTE.” He said the LTTE had again “demonstrated to the world its total commitment to violence and terror to achieve its separatist goals in Sri Lanka, and its absolute contempt for democracy and human rights.”

He urged people to remain calm. “Your continued patience and restraint in the face of such undisguised savagery is the best way to assist the security forces to succeed in their operations to defeat terrorism in our country.”

Separately, fighter craft claimed to have engaged “an LTTE sea tiger base’ South of Vettilaikerni in general area Mulliyan.

In a report posted on its website, the LTTE alleged that two claymore attacks on two motorbikes were carried out by the military’s Deep Penetration Unit.

One civilian was killed and another was seriously injured in the attack, it alleged on the website.

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