Thirteen killed in Colombo blast

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 January 2000, 07:18 GMT]
Thirteen people including, five members of the Prime Minister's Security Division (PMSD) were killed and about 25 others wounded in an explosion at the Flower Road police post in Colombo around 9 a.m. this morning, the police said.

The explosion happened in front of the Prime Minister's office.

The police said a woman, who was loitering in a suspicious manner, triggered the explosion when they were questioning her.

Sources said a cabinet meeting was scheduled to be held at the Temple Trees, the official residence of the President, shortly after the time of the blast.

The police said four members of the PMSD and a woman translator, who was helping the police to question the bomber, died on the spot, while seven others died at the hospital.