3RD LEAD

EPDP office in Colombo attacked, secretary killed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2007, 03:13 GMT]
A bomb exploded inside the Colombo office of pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party, EPDP, at Isipathana Mawatta in Colombo-05, Wednesday around 8:30 a.m., seriously wounding three persons, including an EPDP cadre, initial reports said. One of the wounded, a coordinating-secretary, succumbed to injuries at Colombo hospital. Police alleged that the attack was carried out by a female suicide bomber who was blown into pieces in the explosion.

Paramilitary leader and Sri Lankan Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare Douglas Devananda was inside the office when the explosion took place. He was unhurt in the attack, Police said.

Steven Peiris, 69, a Tamil and a native from Nuwara Eliya, was identified as the coordinating secretary of Mr. Douglas Devananda.

A personal bodyguard of Devananda and a Sri Lankan Ministerial Security Division (MSD) police guard were wounded in the attack.

Devananda was about to receive visitors on the public day at his office.

A female visitor detonated the bomb, according to the initial reports.

Police blamed the LTTE for the attack.

In 2004, a female suicide bomber, blocked by the security personnel at the gate of Devananda's office in Kollupitiya and taken to Police for interrogation exploded herself, killing five policemen.