Truck bomb at planned celebration venue

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 January 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Sri Lankan Police say that a truck with bomb was rammed into Daladamaligava, planned location of Sri Lankas independence day celebrations in Kandy, this morning at 6 am. The Police say 8 people including the two bombers were killed.

Police and army sources say the temple was damaged outside but the interior was intact.

The city of Kandy is the venue of Sri Lankas 50th independence anniversary celebrations. Security in the hill city had been tightened up and several roads leading to the city had been closed in preparations for the golden jubilee.

A government spokesman said this morning that they will go ahead with the golden jubilee celebrations as planned despite the bomb.

The Police and Army blamed the Liberation Tigers for the attack.