10 killed in Fort explosion

Suicide terrorist rams motorcycle into police bus; over 95 injured:

Rasika SOMARATNA and Rafik JALALDEEN

COLOMBO: Ten people including seven police personnel were killed and over 95 others injured as a LTTE suicide bomber on a motorcycle laden with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Police officers around 12.05 p.m, in front of Sambodhi Viharaya at Colombo Fort yesterday.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said around 50 police personnel in three buses deployed on Riot Duty were targeted by a suicide bomber at the junction between Hilton Hotel and Sambodhi Viharaya.

Police spokesman Senior DIG N.K. Ilangakoon said following information on a demonstration organised by the United National Party (UNP), a police team was deployed to prevent the entry of demonstrators to the High Security Zone and ensure normality in the area.

The Director of the Colombo National hospital Hector Weerasinghe said 95 injured persons had been admitted to the hospital following the blast.

According to Dr.Weerasinghe among the dead were three female police officers. In addition 30 other Police personnel had been admitted with severe injuries.

He added that around 15 from the total admitted were in a critical condition including three soldiers manning the checkpoint there. In addition to the ill fated bus which was carrying Police personnel belonging to the riot squad, 10 other vehicles too were badly damaged during the incident including another police vehicle, a few trishaws and a truck.

The driver of Sports and Recreation Minister Gamini Lokuge was among the dead. “Minister Lokuge’s driver who was returning after dropping the Minister at the Galadari Hotel was killed in the blast,” sources said. Soon after the incident nearby roads were closed and police cordoned off the area.

“Police jointly with the Army beefed up security and roads were closed for security reasons,” DIG Ilangakoon said. A few eye witnesses who were standing 30 metres from the scene of the blast told the Daily News that following the explosion they felt the strong shock waves which threw them back a few yards.

“Then there was a cloud of smoke, we were just numb with the shock and then debris started falling all over including leaves and birds from the nearby trees,” they said.

According to them there were many people on the road and heavy traffic was seen at the time of the blast. Analysts said the Tigers may have aimed to sabotage the swearing-in of Eastern Provincial Councillors at the nearby Presidential Secretariat through this attack. But the event was held as scheduled.

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