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Show The Salt Lake Tribune WORLD Thursday, February1, 1996 Suicide Bombing Kilis Dozens in Sri Lankan Capital LOS ANGELES TIMES NEW DELHI — Suspectecé Tamil mili tants struck with fury Wednesday in the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital, smashing a truckload of explosives into the Central Bank building and detonating a blast that killed at least 55 people, wounded as many 1,400 and reduced much of Colombo's business district to rubble and flames ‘The suicide bombing wasthe mostdevastating attack in Sri Lanka’s capital since armed insurgents on the Indian Ocean islandbegan battling 12 years agofor a sepa- rate homelandfor their Tamil minority The midmorning explosion left bodies strewn by the dozens on streets and in wrecked buildings. At least a half-dozen high-rises caught fire, and the blazes kept police and rescue workers from pawing through the debris for survivors. Panicked workers, many whoseshirts or saris were soaked with blood, fled the downtown neighborhood on foot. Helicopters carried large buckets of water to douse the burning buildings, andtried to rescue scores of frightened people trapped on upper floors. Military sources said the truck had been packed with 440 poundsof explosives. The blast, on one of Colombo’s busiest thoroughfares,killed at least 55 people and injured nearly 1,400 others, Health Minister A.H. Fowziesaid. Ofthe known wounded, 100 werein criti- cal condition, hospital sources said ‘There are stil] several people trapped inside the burning buildings. We have to na, in December, the Tigers remain a ae first put out the fire and try to save as many Chandrika Kumaratunga's effort to as possible,” a police officer said. Officials said 3,000 people worked in the Central Bank building alone, and it could be days before rescue work is compiete. There was no immediate claim of respon- sibility for the attack. But the government quickly pinned the blame on guerrillas of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have staged numeroussuicide bombings in the past. The bombing showed that despite recent setbacksin the civil war, including the loss of their northern capital and citadel, Jaff- ly force to be contended with. The attack also was a blow to Presidnt d the ethnically fueled strife that has clainpd at least 39,000 lives on the island site 1983. The Defense Ministry, in a statem¢t accused the Liberation Tigers of carryny out the bombing to generate “commulal backlash” among the majority Sinhalke against Tamils. Police said Wednesday evening they kd arrested two Tamil suspects fleeing pe sceneof the bombing in a hijacked scoojrrickshaw. The army said the suspects been armed, and “admitted” their invol ment in the attack during interrogation] UL UUTEele Oyentae Video « Computers "EVEN DISCOUNT SUPERCENTERS BLOCKBUSTE TheAssociated Press A BIG CATCH A marine scientist Wednesday inspects a rare giant squid that was caught off the New Zealand coast in December. The 26-foot squid will return to its ocean habitat later this year. ASSOCIATED PRESS: ZAGREB, Croatia — Thousands ofdestitute, elderly Serbs in remote Croatian hamlets are being ! by gangs of Croats who steal firewood, kill livestock and smash windows to let in the bitter cold. Almost six months after the Croatian army recaptured the Krajina region from rebel Serbs in central and southern Croatia, the 9,000 Serbs who remained — most too old to flee — live harassed and impoverishedlives. A wave of murders cataloged by the United Nations, in which 230 mostly elderly Serbs died, appears to have halted in October. Mostwere found with throats cut, or a bullet in their head But mass graves that U.N. offi- cials say contain 750 bodies re- main unexplained, with the Croats refusing to permit exhumation Andthe International Committee of the Red Cross says dozens of elderly Serbs have died in recent weeks due to appalling conditions, compounded by victim- Ite: AST COMPLETE 100MHZ | COMPUTER PACKAGE | =e ization. U.S. Ambassador Peter Galbraith has urged Croatian officials to halt the abuses, which he said could threaten democracyin Croatia and the regional peace process. Croatian officials say crimes | 5 that someCroat civilians and policemen have been arrested for looting and other crimes. The elderly Serbs are the few who did not join more than 100,000 Serbs who fled ahead of Croat troops last August in the biggest single exodus in 4% years of Balkan warfare. Nowthey makeeasytargets. Looting by gangs is widespread it is happening every day. Even humanitarian packages are being taken from the elderly and defenseless people. 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