DATE=3/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA SUSPECTS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260100
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Six persons have been detained by the Sri
Lankan police in connection with Friday's bomb blast
in Colombo. And as Vandana Chopra reports from the Sri
Lankan capital, the death toll in the late evening
massacre has gone up to 29.
TEXT: The state radio says officials of the Colombo
crime detection bureau were currently questioning the
six suspects who were residents of the island's war
torn north and east and had travelled to Colombo.
It did not give details. The suspects were detained in
connection with Friday evening's bombing along a
strategic highway leading to the national parliament.
Officials say the bombing attack apparently was aimed
at government ministers and political leaders who had
been attending a meeting of the parliament.
Police said they were investigating how so many
heavily armed rebels had managed to set up an ambush
on the road where security is tight as it is
frequented by high ranking members of Parliament and
political leaders.
On Saturday, four guerillas who were hiding in a
residential housing complex killed themselves just
before police commandoes were to begin an assault on
the complex.
The rebels had taken refuge in the complex after the
bombing Friday evening. Government officials say
security forces launched a massive house-to-house
search operation, Friday night, to try and flush out
the Tiger rebels. Police say this operation led to the
confrontation with the rebels in the apartment
complex.
Security officials say they recovered suicide bomb
jackets, automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades
and ammunition from the area.
The blast, comes at a time when the Sri Lankan
government and the main opposition are discussing
constitutional reforms which they will
then present to the Tiger rebels in a bid to end the
long ethnic war.
Rebel guerillas are fighting for a separate homeland
for the minority Tamil
community in Sri Lanka's north and east. (Signed)
NEB/AP/PLM
12-Mar-2000 07:10 AM EDT (12-Mar-2000 1210 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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