Suicide-bomber carried bomb in bag

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, FEB. 22. In one of the first tangible evidences behind the failed assassination attempt on the Sri Lankan President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, on December 18, a magistrate court here was told yesterday the suicide-bomber carried a bomb in a handbag, and not on her person.

Investigators were reported as telling the court that findings had indicated that the bomb was a ``parcel bomb that was carried on the suspect's handbag.''

Earlier, it was believed that the bomber, who exploded herself minutes after the President had finished her last Presidential campaign speech on December 18, had triggered the bomb carried on her person through a suicide-kit, similar to that which killed Rajiv Gandhi. The President escaped the assassination bid with injuries to her right eye.

The Island reported today that court was told that the suicide bomber was identified by a neighbour in the eastern Batticaloa district as a persons who had left to the uncleared areas under the control of the LTTE nine years ago. On her stay in and around Colombo, the court was told that the bomber had purchased the dress she wore on the fatal evening and an umbrella from a shop in Dehiwela, a Colombo suburb. ``Although findings reveal that she had been staying at Dehiwela or Mount Lavinia (both of which are suburbs to the South of Colombo), prior to the explosion, police have been unable to ascertain exactly where she had been staying,'' the newspaper reported.

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