This picture taken a split second after the blast in Akuressa yesterday shows Muslim men playing drums as part of celebrations marking Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi. AFP/Krishan Jayaruk

• 14 dead, 43 injured as suicide bomber creates mayhem on Meelad Un Nabi national celebrations
  
• High powered Ministers targeted; Mahinda Wijeysekara recovering in National Hospital ICU
  
• President visits injured

Akuressa Agony

The spirit of celebration and religious fervour was shattered when an explosion near the Jumma Mosque in Godapitiya, Akuressa yesterday killed 14 and injured 43. The attack at around 10 am was aimed at the high powered politicians attending a procession celebrating Milad-Un-Nabi, the birth of Prophet Mohommed at the mosque.

Post and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekara who suffered severe injuries was airlifted to Colombo General Hospital while Petroleum Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Home Affairs Minister Chandrasiri Gajadheera, Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Disaster Relief Services Minister Ameer Ali, Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Pandu Bandaranayake were among the targeted.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the injured at the Colombo National Hospital yesterday evening.

Southern Province Chief Minister H.G. Sirisena suffered minor injuries. The Ministers were among the procession walking towards the venue when the blast occurred. The function was organised by Minister Gajadheera and was attended by many religious leaders.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that according to eyewitnesses the suspected LTTE suicide bomber approached the area on a push bicycle, got off amongst the crowd of devotees, before blowing up. Among the dead are several politicians from Matara including Linton Abeydeera, Upali Sarathchandra and Thilan Wijesekara. The autopsies on the bodies at the Matara Hospital will be conducted today. Four police teams are conducting investigations with the assistance of the army.

A special nine member medical team was airlifted to Matara, aboard a special Sri Lanka Air Force 30- seater MI 17 helicopter under the orders of the President and comprised of Consultant Neuro Surgeon Dr Sunil Perera, Consultant Neuro Anesthetists Dr Roshini Ranwala and seven other doctors to assist them, according to Colombo National Hospital Director Dr. Hector Weerasinghe. The team upon arrival in Matara determined that it is better to bring the more seriously injured victims including Minister Wijesekara back to Colombo. “The Minister had sustained a very serious injury and was taken into the operating theatre immediately, while the other two injured individuals are also being treated by our doctors.” Minister Wijesekara was kept under observation in the ICU after surgery.

Among the injured 35 were taken to the Matara General Hospital while three were taken to the Akuressa Hospital, according to Police Spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunasekara. Two cirtically injured still remain at the hospital. He said that more security personnel have been deployed to the area while a search for LTTE cadres in the Akuressa area continues.

Meanwhile, Resettlement Affairs Minister Rishard Badurdeen told The Bottom Line that the Matara Divisional Secretary has been empowered to provide funds from the Secretariat to assist the wounded and the Ministry would provide more funds today. However, the Minister informed that a compensation payment has not been determined to the injured and the families of those who died yet.

Minister A.H.M. Fowzie recounts