bomb blast in Akuressa

hi all

Have just seen in the news that a bomb has been detonated in Akuressa our sympathies to all those affected by this and a speedy recovery to all the injured.

can anybody tell us is this in a usual tourist area and does the mean a change in tactics by the tamil tigers? as in the past tourist areas have not been generaly affected

any advice please due out in June.

thanks

Richard

bomb blast in Akuressa

I%26#39;ve just been talking to a friend in Sri Lanka and he said it is near Matara in the south. I%26#39;m no expert of course, but it does seem to be a different tactic by the increasingly desperate LTTE, although there have been isolated incidents .. I seem to remember one near Galle a year or two back. My friend says that 10 have been killed in this latest attack. Awful news.

bomb blast in Akuressa

To add ... I have just heard that there was a ceremony taking place and there were government officials present. Now it is becoming clearer .. no change in tactics .. the advice has always been to stay away from any official gatherings, government buildings, etc. It appears that it is they who were being targetted, not the area as such.

Hi Richard,

The area between Matara and Akuressa is not an area frequented by many tourists.

It appears that the suicide bomber targeted several Muslim ministers celebrating Milad-Un-Nabi in a mosque. I don%26#39;t think that%26#39;s a change of tactics as government ministers and other politicians have been the target for many years.

Hans

Hi Richard

I am with Sue on this one, although NOT a direct attack on tourism by any means, this ';could'; be a change of direction in the LTTE%26#39;s tactics, the government in Sri Lanka have been for some time boasting about their territory gains, and maybe by coincidence, or by other sinister means the LTTE have been somewhat ';quiet'; in response.

Todays attack WAS aimed at a minister !

I think it would be HIGHLY dangerous to suppose that things will quieten down right now, and sadly i really do think that maybe other attacks like this could occour almost anywhere, hopefully of course i am wrong, but there are so many festivals, celebrations coming up in next few weeks or so i think that anything can happen, and anywhere !

Just my own personal thoughts of course, and i really do hope that i am wrong !

Leaving for Sri Lanka is 2 weeks time, this or other attacks will not change that, unles the UK%26#39;s FCO states otherwise, which is highly unlikely right now !

Regards

Dave

Hi all

thanks for your replies I will still be going no matter what

Richard

Hi this is not an attack focusing tourists, and not in a tourist area. This is an attack mainly directed on some Government politicians and Ministers who were attending a Muslim religious function.

LTTE Tigers have suffered the biggest defeat in the North and East and within the next few days they will be completely eradicated. Government is planning a rapid development programmer in the North and East with a consequential political solution acceptable to all.

LTTE is now confined to less than 50 squre miles and are keeping about 70,000 innocent civilians as a human shield. Since Government is very concerned about the civilian life the operations have been slowed down.

In this situation the LTTE will try to disrupt any thing with this type of attacks. This clearly shows their true colours and that they have come to the last string.