M A I N   N E W S

Minister’s wife succumbs to injuries
120 detained; emergency extended

COLOMBO, June 8 (PTI) — Fresh fighting between the LTTE and government troops today claimed 13 more lives as the Sri Lankan Parliament extended a nationwide state of emergency.

Parliament adjourned early amid fears of more assassination bids following the killing of Industry Minister C.V. Goonaratne along with 21 others in a blast yesterday.

Goonaratne’s wife, Shyama, and two others, who were among the 60 persons injured in the blast, today succumbed to their injuries, taking the number of victims to 25, the police said.

Three home guards were killed in northern Vavuniya, while eight LTTE rebels were eliminated in separate encounters with government troops in Jaffna peninsula. Also, two persons from a rival Tamil group were killed by LTTE guerrillas in eastern Batticaloa.

Meanwhile, the police investigating yesterday’s suicide bombing detained 120 persons for questioning, but released many of them after verifying their identity.

The detained persons included four Tamil youths who were picked up by the police soon after the blast at Ratmalana. Local media even carried pictures of some of the detained youth.

The police also impounded a van in which the suicide bomber was said to have travelled to reach the place. The four arrested were believed to have helped the bomber reach the place.

However the identity of the bomber has not yet been established. The police said the bomber appeared to be a male, who rushed to Minister C.V. Goonaratne, offered him beetel leaves as a traditional welcome and later detonated himself while hugging the dignitary.

Meanwhile, the police lifted a limited curfew which was mainly imposed in the Ratmalana area to prevent any untoward incidents.

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga also issued a stern warning to mischief mongers that the police has been asked to deal sternly with anyone inciting communal passions.

In fresh fighting, at least 12 persons died in skirmishes in Sri Lanka’s north today as the government claimed rebel Tamil Tigers were targeting ethnic Tamils who had sided with mainstream politics.

Reports said three paramilitary police were killed and four regular policemen injured when the LTTE attacked a checkpost near Vavuniya in Sri Lanka’s northern front-lines.

Another eight Tigers were killed on the far northern peninsula of Jaffna in two separate strikes while the former chairman of an ethnic Tamil political party opposed to the LTTE was shot and later died from his injuries.

Government information spokes-man, Laxman Perera, said the rebels opened fire on K. Navaratnarajah, from the pro-government Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), as he was travelling on a motor cycle.

WASHINGTON: The USA has condemned the terrorist bombing in Sri Lanka in which Goonaratne, along with 21 others, was killed. President Clinton extended his condolences and those of the people of the US to the relatives of the victims.

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was “profoundly shocked” by the suicide bombing which killed a government minister and 21 other persons in Colombo.