Lankan police arrest 12 alleged LTTE suicide bombers

Following his arrest, police seized 120 kg of explosives at Ukulan near northern Vavuniya town, which was meant for suicide bombing operations in Colombo city, the daily said.

The arrest also led to the detention of 12 suspected LTTE suicide bombers, who revealed "they were assigned to assassinate several ministers, moderate Tamil politicians and senior police and military officials," it said, adding, more arrests were expected in the coming days.

Though the police managed to recover the explosives meant for suicide bombing missions, the special suicide kits were yet to be recovered, it said.

A Sinhalese newspaper Lankadeepa said the arrests included a Tamil businessman and police also seized two trucks, kept ready for suicide bombing missions in Colombo.

The LTTE used the truck bomb in 1997 to bomb the World Trade Centre and two five star hotels here. The explosives were concealed in the fuel tank.

Police have stepped up combing operations since the LTTE increased bomb attacks here in December last year.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga escaped one such attack on December 18. The blast, however, inflicted a serious injury to her right eye.

The arrests of the LTTE suspects followed the news that former Punjab police chief K P S Gill was formally invited by the Sri Lankan government to review the security arrangements for Colombo city and VVIPs in view of increasing LTTE suicide attacks.

Gill is scheduled to come here on May 22 to study the situation on a personal invitation from foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.