LTTE suspect held in Wellawatte blast

Rafik Jalaldeen

An LTTE suspect was arrested in connection with the Wellawatte bomb blast on Monday morning which killed a civilian and injured six others including four school children, OIC Wellawatte CI Mangala Dehideniya said.

A cordon and search operation was conducted following the bomb blast in the immediate vicinity . "Initially we had taken over 40 suspects for questioning on Monday and of them 11 were detained including a female suspect. We are holding the a main suspect who might have connection with the bomb blast and the rest will be released", CI Dehideniya told the Daily News.

He denied reports that the target was a VIP or any high profile figure but did not rule out the possibility of it being a police foot patrol aimed at creating panic. "According to the Government Analyst's report the explosives concealed in a parcel weighed less than 500gms. which could hardly cause damage to a vehicle.

Therefore, we believe the LTTE placed this bomb to target a routine police patrol or to create tension and panic among the public", CI Dehideniya said.

Four schoolchildren who were injured in the blast are still receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Hospital while two wounded civilians were discharged.