— Photo: AFP, AP

ASSASSINATION BID: Security personnel attempt to move a car away from burning vehicles in Colombo on Friday after a suicide bomb attack on the convoy of Sri Lankan Defence Secretary and President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. At right, President Rajapaksa hugs his brother, who escaped unhurt. Three persons were killed and 10 injured in the incident.

COLOMBO: A suicide bomber, allegedly a Tamil Tiger, rammed his three-wheeler into the convoy of Secretary of Defence Gothabaya Rajapaksa, younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at a busy intersection here on Friday. The incident took place close to the office of the Prime Minister. Besides the bomber, at least one soldier and an escort were killed and 10 injured in the blast.

It was a narrow and miraculous escape for Mr. Rajapaksa as his convoy including his own bullet-proof vehicle took the impact of the blast. The vehicle and the vest he was wearing are believed to have saved his life.

The Defence Secretary, who was on his way to the Presidential Palace for an official meeting, drove straight from the accident site to meet his brother. Government later released a photograph of the two brothers hugging each other.

Mr. Rajapaksa, a retired army officer, was appointed as Defence Secretary a year ago after the President took over the office in the third week of November.

Known for his hardline stance against the LTTE, he has been in the forefront of the campaign against the Tamil Tigers for several months now.

Political and diplomatic observers here had anticipated stepped up high profile attacks by the Tigers after the November 27 "Heroes Day" speech of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran had declared that "Sinhala duplicity of war and peace" has left his organisation with no option but to pursue the goal of an independent Tamil Eelam.

Cowardly attack

The President said the LTTE was known to have carried out such cowardly and brutal attacks earlier, too.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa remains unshaken in his resolve to achieve peace in Sri Lanka and is undeterred in his efforts to combat all forms of terrorism and violence," a statement from the Presidential Secretariat said.

The Defence Secretary said however contemptible their (LTTE) effort might be "I treat them with compassion." He said he was not ready to abandon the responsibility towards the country, despite such cowardly attacks.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the national need to defeat the LTTE's terrorism.

He also appealed to all people and the international community to avoid any action that would demoralise and weaken the determination of troops.

The troops are ready, at the risk of their lives, to make real the dream of the President of building a new Sri Lanka, where all Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people can live in peace and harmony.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said it was deeply concerned over the blast that bore the hallmarks of methods used by the LTTE. "The recent and escalating violence, including today's attack on a high-ranking politician, threatens seriously the lives of innocent civilians in Sri Lanka. The SLMM urges the parties to respect the Cease Fire Agreement and to give up violence."

The U.S. mission here condemned the attack and said it bore all the hallmarks of an LTTE operation.

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