National need to defeat LTTE terror - Gotabhaya

COLOMBO: You may already by aware that through the blessings of good fortune, the LTTE terrorists failed in their attempt to take my life today. However contemptible their effort may be, I treat them with compassion, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said yesterday.

"I take this opportunity to inform you that I am not ready to abandon the responsibility we have towards the country, in the face of such cowardly attacks by the LTTE, and to reaffirm our commitment to the national need to defeat the LTTE's terrorism," he said in a statement issued to the media.

He said: "Far from abandoning our determination and commitment to defeat all efforts of the LTTE to achieve its bloodthirsty aims by grossly misleading the international community; in the face of attacks such as these, I would hesitate to even think of it.

I wish to appeal to all our people and the international community to avoid any action that will demoralise and weaken the determination of our brave troops who are ready, at the sacrifice of their lives, to make real the dream of the President of building a new Sri Lanka, where all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people can live happily in peace and harmony.

Whatever obstructions we may face, I wish to emphasise that we should not deviate from the people's desire to bring about a permanent peace to the country; because peace is the primary need of the nation.

I wish to express my gratitude to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the face of this attack by assassins; I wish speedy recovery to the members of the security forces and civilians who were injured in this attack; and thank my security personnel who faced up to the challenge of the assassins.

Finally, what I wish to reiterate before you the singular truth that it will never be possible to defeat this great country through the bloody savagery of the cowardly LTTE terrorists.

As citizens, I request you to wish all necessary courage and strength to the Security Forces who are your own brothers and sisters and appreciate the efforts taken by them to safeguard you.

I ask you to raise your voice for the cause of peace, to realise your expectations of a peaceful and harmonious Sri Lanka."