08-13-2005, 02:47 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Top Sri Lankan minister shot dead
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has been assassinated in a gun attack in the capital, Colombo.
The murder was being blamed by a senior police officer on the Tamil Tigers separatist rebels, who have been observing a ceasefire since 2002.
But the ceasefire has been under recent growing strain, amid rebel claims that the government was continuing to conduct a covert war against them.
Mr Kadirgamar, 73, was shot near his heavily-guarded home in Colombo.
Reports said he was hit several times and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. He died later despite undergoing emergency surgery.
A senior police officer quoted by Reuters news agency blamed the rebels, who want an independent state in the north, for carrying out the attack.
"It's the Tigers," Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando told reporters, the agency said.
Mr Kadirgamar had considered himself to be a potential target of the group, reports said.
Mr Kadirgamar, who was himself from the South Asian island's minority Tamil community, was a close aide of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Mr Kadirgamar was appointed foreign minister in April 2004, but had previously held the position from 1994 to 2001.
"He worked tirelessly for peace throughout his career. It is a great loss," Justice Minister John Senevirathne told reporters who had gathered outside the National Hospital in Colombo.
A large security operation was launched after the shooting.
Armed police began searching the area of Colombo where Mr Kadirgamar was shot, as helicopters circled overhead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4147196.stm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has been assassinated in a gun attack in the capital, Colombo.
The murder was being blamed by a senior police officer on the Tamil Tigers separatist rebels, who have been observing a ceasefire since 2002.
But the ceasefire has been under recent growing strain, amid rebel claims that the government was continuing to conduct a covert war against them.
Mr Kadirgamar, 73, was shot near his heavily-guarded home in Colombo.
Reports said he was hit several times and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. He died later despite undergoing emergency surgery.
A senior police officer quoted by Reuters news agency blamed the rebels, who want an independent state in the north, for carrying out the attack.
"It's the Tigers," Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando told reporters, the agency said.
Mr Kadirgamar had considered himself to be a potential target of the group, reports said.
Mr Kadirgamar, who was himself from the South Asian island's minority Tamil community, was a close aide of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Mr Kadirgamar was appointed foreign minister in April 2004, but had previously held the position from 1994 to 2001.
"He worked tirelessly for peace throughout his career. It is a great loss," Justice Minister John Senevirathne told reporters who had gathered outside the National Hospital in Colombo.
A large security operation was launched after the shooting.
Armed police began searching the area of Colombo where Mr Kadirgamar was shot, as helicopters circled overhead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4147196.stm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->