Nine including seven Police personnel and two civiliance were killed and over 90 casualties reported, following the LTTE suicide bomb attack in Colombo Fort at 12.05 p.m., today (May 16).
According to the defence information, a motor bike riding LTTE suicide bomber had rammed into a bus carrying Police personnel at the Ceramic Junction, near Shri Sambuddhaloka Viharaya.
Director General National Hospital Dr. Hector Weerasinghe said that, over 90 people have been already admitted to the National hospital. Sixty two (62) civilians, 30 Police and 3 Army personnel were among the casualties received, he was quoted as saying.
Army spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC that the dead included three women police constables.
the blast took place near a police checkpoint outside the Colombo Hilton Hotel.
"It was a loud explosion. It felt like an earthquake" Eye witness said.
He said some window panes of the hotel had been damaged by the explosion. He said all the guests were safe and the hotel gates had been shut.
The blast comes in the eve of the Vesak week, which was declared by the government starting from today.
7kg of explosives
The bomb squad said that the motorcycle which was fitted with 7kg of explosives was driven into a parked police bus carrying policemen to provide security for the UNP protest to be held today at Maradana.
