Army bus blast: Police uncover vital clues

The CID teams investigating the bomb attack on the Army bus in Slave Island on Wednesday have uncovered several vital clues that may lead to a breakthrough.

Four persons including two schoolchildren were killed in the claymore mine explosion which took place opposite the Nippon Hotel, a well known landmark in the City.

Police believe that the original target could have been a VIP convoy as many VIPs attending the Security Council meeting at 10.30 a.m. on that day were due to take this route.

They said the LTTE operative who held the remote control may have gone for a relatively ‘soft’ target after missing his main target.

It has been revealed that the General Manager of the Nippon Hotel is also the Chairman of the Civil Security Committee in the area.

The bomb has been placed in an airconditioner unit of the hotel without his knowledge and without being detected by the hotel security. Defence authorities say the terrorists could resort to more such methods to target Government figures.

The Nippon Hotel is owned by A.K. Walson, a former deputy high commissioner to India and an international affairs advisor to former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Government, through the Ministry of Tourism, has already pledged compensation to the hotel for reconstruction.