Bomber not a marathon runner - CID

Police scrutinising video footage, ID card:

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

COLOMBO: The CID teams investigating the suicide blast that killed Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle inWeliweriya ruled out the possibility that the male suicide bomber had come there as a marathon runner.

“Investigations are still on to trace how the suicide cadre came to the place. Considering the nature of the blast it is extremely difficult for the suicide cadre to come there as a marathon runner wearing a suicide kit,” an official of the Criminal Investigation Department told the Daily News on the condition of anonymity.

The investigators also believe that the head found at the scene belonged to the male suicide cadre as they found explosives in the body parts. “We believe it was the head of the male suicide cadre since it had not been identified and moreover it contained explosives,” sources added.

A photograph of the head of the suicide cadre is to be released to the media to get public support to identify him.

Meanwhile, Police teams are investigating an identity card found from the scene reportedly with a Valachchenai address.

Investigators also believe the suicide cadre had easy access to the place as there were no strict security arrangements.

“The question of accessibility does not arise in this case since there were no strict security measures at the location,” sources added.

The CID teams are also closely scrutinising the video footage and photographs taken by journalists covering the event, to identify the suicide cadre.

According to CID sources it had deployed a full force of investigators to trace clues about the suicide cadre and how he had arrived at the scene.