Sri Lanka - bomb at railway station

[John Ashworth]

Deadly Bombing At Train Station

Updated:11:13, Sunday February 03, 2008

A female suicide bomber has blown herself up in the main railway station in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, killing at least nine people.

The woman is thought to have stepped off a train before carrying out the attack.

About 100 people were injured after the blast in the crowded Fort station.

The bombing has been blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels.

A military spokesman said: "It is a suicide blast on platform three, the bomber has got down from a train and exploded."

Meanwhile, a ticket inspector said: "I was near my counter and I heard a big blast. When I looked behind I saw a policeman bleeding."

Earlier in the day, a bomb went off in a zoo in the capital, wounding four visitors.

Tamil Tigers are also thought to be behind that attack.

They are fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east of the island.

The military said the attacks appeared to be aimed at installing panic ahead celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the country's independence from Britain.

Copyright © 2008 BSkyB

[John Ashworth]

Extract from BBC story Sri Lanka anniversary amid tensions

...Security forces are on high alert after a series of bombings over the weekend.

At least 11 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at the main railway station on Sunday, while 18 died in a bus blast in Dambulla on Saturday.

Both were blamed by the government on the Tamil Tigers rebels, though the rebels have denied involvement...

BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/s ... 225488.stm

Published: 2008/02/04 04:48:25 GMT

© BBC MMVIII