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4 die as suspected LTTE boat explodes

V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO: A suspected LTTE boat exploded off Sri Lanka's northern Mannar coast on Saturday, killing four cadres on board, the Army said.

"There was a huge explosion on board the LTTE boat after the Navy asked them to stop," an Army spokesperson said. A Navy sailor was also injured.

However, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam denied that it was one of its boats. "It is a civilian boat and we are not involved in it," it said.

The Government did not say LTTE cadres were on board. Its statement said the Navy spotted a "multi-day trawler," which was approaching the Talaimannar coast. When the Navy sailors were about to board the trawler, the crew aboard detonated a large explosive device, which destroyed the trawler and seriously injured a sailor.

The incident occurred ahead of the talks, scheduled to be held between Colombo and the LTTE on implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Geneva on February 22 and 23.

Ten days ago, a trawler with more than 60,000 detonators was seized off Sri Lanka's northern coast.

According to the ceasefire agreement signed four years ago, while there is a demarcation between government and LTTE-held land, the Navy has rights over the island's waters. The LTTE is demanding the right of passage between its northern and eastern territories.

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4 die as suspected LTTE boat explodes

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