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#1
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04-25-2010, 10:28 PM
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Maj Gen Janaka Perera Killed in 2008 Anuradhapura Suicide Bombing, 27 Dead
On the morning of Monday, October 6, 2008, a suicide bomber detonated at the opening of a newly built United National Party office near the old bus stand in Anuradhapura, in Sri Lanka's North Central Province. Between 26 and 28 people were killed, depending on the source, and around 90 were injured. Among the dead was Major General Janaka Perera, a retired army commander who had become Leader of the Opposition in the North Central Provincial Council and the UNP's candidate for chief minister, along with his wife Vajira, herself a retired officer and one of the first six women commissioned into the Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps in 1982. The former ambassador Rajah Johnpulle, his wife, and four UNP provincial councillors were also killed. The government and the military attributed the bombing to an LTTE suicide cadre, though no claim of responsibility was ever made public. The attack came about seven months before the civil war ended. Two men were later convicted, one sentenced to twenty years in 2014 and one to life, a sentence affirmed on appeal and by the Supreme Court. The UNP accused the government of having withdrawn Perera's security detail beforehand and called for an international investigation, and his relatives have continued to press for a fresh inquiry. |
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#6
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04-29-2010, 03:36 AM
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| My Rank: PRIVATE Poster Rank:12326 Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 9 Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Quoted: 0 Post(s)
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Re: Maj Gen Janaka Perera Killed in 2008 Anuradhapura Suicide Bombing, 27 Dead
A bomb blast occurred around 8.45 a.m. this morning in Anuradhapura, killing Maj. General (retd.) Janaka Perera, Leader of the Opposition, North Central Provincial Council , his wife Mrs. Wajira Perera who was also a retired Major in Sri Lanka Special Forces and 20 others, in a suspected suicide bomb attack said to have been carried out by an LTTE suicide cadre. According to reports, the bomb blast occurred during a function held to declare open the new UNP office in Anuradhapura, military sources said. Among the dead were also the UNP Manager in Anuradhapura, Dr Rajah John Pulle and his wife. More than 35 others suffering injuries have been admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital. The attack had been carried out near Anuradhapura bus stand, outside the Electricity Board office where Janaka Perera had gone to open a new UNP office. Meanwhile our sources say Sirasa Correspondent of the Anuradhapura area Rashmi Maharoof was too killed due to the blast. Sri Lanka Government blamed the Liberation Tigers for the suicide attack. Janaka Perera contested the North Central PC election as the chief ministerial candidate from the UNP and received the highest number of preferential votes. Major General Janaka Perera, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, rcds, psc served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army and is coincidered as one of the most distinguished generals in Sri Lanka. After retiring from the army he served as a Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia & Ambassador to Indonesia. He was the opposition leader of the North Central Provincial Council till his death on October 6, 2008. He was tipped to take over the leadership of the UNP in the near future. - Asian Tribune |