Mohamed, a provincial correspondent for Sirasa TV, was
covering the opening ceremony of the new office of the United National Party
(UNP) in
when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device.
The blast apparently came from a member of the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) inside the newly opened and crowded office of the
opposition UNP. The target appeared to be retired Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera, who
died in the blast. At least 27 people died, and at least 80 more were wounded in
the explosion.
Security was apparently lax at the event. UNP officials
quoted by The Associated Press accused the government of ignoring repeated
requests for a stronger security detail for Perera, who was a vocal critic of
the way the government had conducted its military campaign against the LTTE
secessionists. “The government must take full responsibility. They did not give
him adequate security for political reasons,” AP quoted party official
Tissa Attanayake as saying.