2ND LEAD

Attackers hurl firebombs at SLFP rebel MP's house

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 November 2007, 15:32 GMT]
Unidentified attackers riding in a motorbike hurled petrol bombs Thursday around 8:00 p.m. at the house of Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, former minister who broke away from the SLFP. Nobody was wounded in the attack on his residence at Austin Place, Borella in Colombo, Police said. Earlier in the day, the SLFP-breakaway parliamentarian had accused that the SLFP should be held responsible for the loss of former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Informed media sources quoted Mr. Sooriyaarachchi as saying that certain SLFP leaders had opposed a move, within the SLFP, to appoint Lakshman Kadirgamar as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka when the JVP proposed his name to the post.

The attackers who hurled petrol bombs fled away as the security personnel guarding the residence opened fire, Police said.

The dissidents of the SLFP, Sripathi Sooriayaarachi and Mangala Samaraweera, who succeeded Kadirgamar as foreign minister, have formed SLFP (M), a splinter group of the SLFP, and cooperate with the main opposition United National Party (UNP).

Chronology: