'Lanka bus explosion LTTE's revenge killing'

Sri Lankan army on Saturday said the deadly explosion in a passenger bus near here on Friday which claimed 26 lives was a "revenge killing" by LTTE which lost more than 160 fighters in clashes at Jaffna.

"The LTTE seems to have resorted to such a cowardly act by undertaking bomb explosion in a bus targeting innocent civilians due to huge casualties it suffered during Wednesday's clashes in Jaffna. It seems to be revenge killing," a senior defence official said.

While the army lost 70 soldiers with five still missing in the attack on Muhamalai and Kilali in Jaffna, the death toll of the LTTE in the fighting is estimated at 160, according to the official.

With the death of two more people today, the death toll from the bomb that ripped through a bus at Pliyandala about 17 kms south of Colombo rose to 26. Around 62 people were injured in the attack.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa deplored the attack on the packed bus, saying the militants had once again resorted to killing innocent civilians in the face of heavy setbacks on the battlefield.

Rajapaksa said the attack clearly showed the LTTE was not ready to abandon violence and destruction even though the Government had repeatedly pledged its commitment to peace.

He asked the people to raise vigilance in order to help troops to foil "terrorists" destructive plans.

Extracted from,
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200804261521.htm
Photo,
AP