Sri Lanka fears storm in tea cup

COLOMBO, December 26: Sri Lankan forces have stepped up security in tea producing areas after intelligence reports warned Tamil rebels will try to disrupt the key export industry, police said today.

In the last four weeks, several electrical transformers in the towns of Badulla and Bandarawela were damaged by small explosions and fuel browsers in Hatton were set alight. Reports warned that Tamil rebels from the embattled north were trying to infiltrate tea labourers on plantations. Sources said police were "paying extra attention to background of any non-resident" in the tea-growing areas.