Italian Ambassador Pio Miriani injured in yesterday’s LTTE attack. Right: US Ambassador Robert Blake on arrival in Colombo yesterday. Pictures by Rukmal Gamage and Sudath Nishantha

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O. Blake.

Their mortar fire resulted in minor injuries on to US Ambassador Robert O'Blake, Italian Ambassador Pio Mariano and the German Ambassador.

The victims of the mortar attack by the LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists are as below.

UN SECRETARY GENERAL BAN-KI MOON CONDEMNS THE LTTE ATTACK ON UN WORKERS WITH AMBASSADORS - By Walter Jayawardhana - The United nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka which injured senior aid officials, including one from the United Nations, and urged both sides in the conflict to halt the bloodshed and resume talks. In the attack at Batticaloa , in Eastern Sri Lanka the US Ambassador in Colombo Robert Blake and his Italian counterpart Pio Mariani were injured. Pio Mariani was immediately rushed to the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital and airlifted to Colombo with some minor head injuries. The European Union also has condemned the attack. Mr. Ban’s statement came in reaction to the shelling by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of a helicopter airfield in Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka, where 12 people, including the UN Resident Coordinator and other members of a high-ranking international delegation taking part in a humanitarian assessment mission, were injured, according to a statement released by his spokesperson condemning the incident. “The attack was in total disregard for the lives of civilians, humanitarian workers, Government officials, and the international community,” Michele Montas told reporters in New York. “The Secretary-General urges the parties to the conflict to end the destructive spiral of violence and calls on them to make every effort to return to the peace process as soon as possible,” she said. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other agencies have been struggling to assist tens of thousands of civilians who have fled fighting between the Government and the LTTE. UNHCR estimates that some 70,000 people have been killed and 465,000 displaced by the more than two decade-long conflict, including nearly 205,000 uprooted since fighting erupted anew in April 2006 despite a ceasefire signed in 2002. (EOM)

Ambassadors wounded in Tamil attack - Sri Lankan military helicopters carrying six foreign envoys came under fire today from ethnic Tamil rebels, and the U.S. and Italian ambassadors were wounded. The government said it was a deliberate attack, but the rebels said they did not know diplomats were onboard. Seven Sri Lankan security personnel also were hurt, but the envoys from Canada, France, Germany and Japan escaped without injury. The delegation representing donor nations had traveled to the eastern city of Batticaloa to review development in the area, a hotbed of separatist violence that was hit hard by the 2004 Asian tsunami. They were accompanied by their staff and Sri Lankan officials, some of whom had arrived earlier in another helicopter and were awaiting the ambassadors at a playground used by the military as a landing ground. The helicopters carrying the diplomats had just landed in Batticaloa when several mortars exploded near the aircraft, said Sri Lankan government minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who was traveling with the envoys. He said U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake and his Italian counterpart Pio Mariani "suffered slight injuries" but were "fine" now. The U.S. Embassy issued a statement saying Mr. Blake was "all right" but did not elaborate. Sri Lankan doctors said the Italian ambassador suffered shrapnel wounds to the head. Mr. Samarasinghe's spokesman described a close call, with people screaming and running for cover (Full report in Washington Times).

Outlaw the LTTE - We hope the world community would draw the correct inferences from the dastardly LTTE mortar attack in Batticaloa at the time of the arrival there of a delegation including the US and Italian ambassadors and Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe. While it is a relief that no lives were lost, although scores were injured, it is with the utmost vehemence that we condemn this attack on a party which included both a Cabinet Minister and the representatives of two major, foreign governments, who were under the care of the Lankan State. What should be understood by this brazen violation of international norms of conduct is that the LTTE would stop at nothing in the pursuit of their evil ends. Whereas foreign governments and their representatives should be respected and given the utmost protection, such considerations do not enter the demented minds of the Tigers. The conclusion is inescapable that they do not care in the least for anything which is considered precious and vital by anybody anywhere, leave alone the international community and its institutions (Full Editorial in Daily News).

Italian envoy, nine others injured in LTTE attack on helicopter - BATTICALOA: The LTTE targeted an aircraft carrying six top foreign diplomats, international humanitarian organisations' country coordinators and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in Batticaloa around 8.15 a.m. yesterday. The aircraft came under LTTE artillery attack soon after landing at Weber Stadium near the STF base in Batticaloa. The diplomats were being airlifted to attend a field visit in Vakarai and discuss humanitarian assistance to Vakarai IDPs, chaired by Minister Samarasinghe in Batticaloa. Italian Ambassador Pio Miriani was slightly injured in the incident but later joined the other members after treatment to continue with the pre-planned discussion on improving the humanitarian situation in the East. "The Italian Ambassador received injuries to his head and the US ambassador to the back by the flying shrapnel," a Disaster Management Ministry official who accompanied the diplomats in the helicopter told the Daily News. "It was a narrow escape. It could have been a major disaster," he added. He said the delegates subsequently held their meeting at the Batticaloa Police station before taking off for Colombo around 2.30 p.m. Over 10 people including four policemen, three STF men, two diplomats, one airman, a student and the cameraman of the Disaster Management Ministry media team were injured in the attack (Full report in Daily News).

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General - The Secretary-General condemns the shelling today by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of a helicopter airfield in Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka, which injured 12 people, including the UN Resident Coordinator and other members of a high-ranking international delegation, all of whom were taking part in a humanitarian assessment mission in the area. The attack was in total disregard for the lives of civilians, humanitarian workers, Government officials, and the international community. The Secretary-General urges the parties to the conflict to end the destructive spiral of violence and calls on them to make every effort to return to the peace process as soon as possible.

Batti tense after mortar attack on diplomats - Tension prevailed in Batticaloa yesterday after 10 people including the Italian and German ambassadors and a UN official were injured in a mortar attack on the helicopters they were travelling in. Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasingha and a 34 member team including envoys from the US, Germany, France, Japan, Italy and Canada went to Batticaloa yesterday on board two helicopters to assess the humanitarian development activities in the district including Vakarai when a barrage of mortar fire from LTTE controlled Vavunaitivu was directed towards the helicopters forcing the group to scamper for shelter. “More than 10 mortars fired using a 120mm artillery gun from Vavunaitivu, the closest rebel point to Batticaloa, fell near the helicopters with the diplomats on board. Four mortars fell on the runway and two missed the target and fell into the lagoon while 5 more fell near the air force camp,” an official from the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) told the Daily Mirror. Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani and German Ambassador Juergen Weerth suffered minor injuries in the attack, while 2 police officers, 3 STF personnel, an Air Force officer and a student from an adjoining school were also injured, the officer said. He said one helicopter was slightly damaged in the attack (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Military accuses LTTE deliberately targeted diplomats  -The military yesterday accused the Tigers of deliberately targeting foreign diplomats as everyone knew that they were visiting the area. “It was a well known fact, since last week, that a group of foreign diplomats were visiting Batticaloa to discuss the humanitarian situation there,” Military Spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said. He said since last week, the Batticaloa Government Agent was holding a series of discussions with local and foreign Non-Governmental Organizations including several Tamil NGOs in the area. “Even normal civilians knew about the diplomats’ visit,” he said. “If the LTTE knew about the route and the timings of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa travelling in Colombo few months ago, how come they say they were not aware of the presence of diplomats yesterday?” Brigadier Samarasinghe asked. Responding to the Tigers’ claim that the government was risking the lives of foreign nationals by not informing the LTTE of their arrival in advance, the spokesman said there was no such procedure at any time. “It’s just a lame excuse to cover up the issue as we never inform the Tigers about any movements due to security reasons,” the spokesman said (Full report in Daily Mirror).

LTTE attacks foreign diplomats - The two helicopters carrying foreign diplomats including UN representative in Sri Lanka, European Union representative, Ambassadors for U. S. A., Japan, Germany, France and Italy to Batticaloa were attacked with mortars and artillery by LTTE terrorists around 8.45 a.m. today (27). The high profile delegation, that narrowly escaped the LTTE mortar attack, arrived in Colombo around 3.40 p.m. this evening. The delegation included the Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights, Hon. Mahinda Samrasinghe, Governor of the Eastern Province and the Country Director of UNICEF. The delegation was on a mission to facilitate the resettlement program for the displaced persons and to provide amenities for their well-being (Full report in Relief Web).

Envoys under fire in Sri Lanka - The Italian, German and United States ambassadors to Sri Lanka were slightly injured last night when Tamil Tiger rebels shelled a delegation of diplomats. Hospital officials in Batticaloa treated Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani and German envoy Jurgen Weerth, and said they were then evacuated to Colombo. US Ambassador Robert Blake's arm was grazed but he did not require hospital treatment (Full report in NZ Herald).

Diplomats Mishap: Lanka FM wants Int'l community to eliminate LTTE fundraising and procurement - Condemning yesterday morning's LTTE mortar attack on diplomats at Batticaloa, Rohitha Bogollagama, Sri Lanka Foreign Minister said in a statement that the international community should take effective measures to eliminate fund-raising and weapon procurement by the LTTE in foreign countries. The Government of Sri Lanka condemns this attack by the LTTE in the strongest terms, he states. The statement says that the "diplomats were on a humanitarian mission to East". Sri Lanka Government condemned in the strongest terms, yesterday’s attack on diplomats by the LTTE and reiterated its position on the need to eliminate terrorism. A statement issued by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama on the mortar and artillery attack carried out by the LTTE in Batticaloa yesterday morning stated: "The LTTE has once again demonstrated its terrorist nature by launching an attack on the Diplomatic Corps on their visit to Batticaloa, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, on a humanitarian mission. The Foreign Minister pointed out, that the mortar attack was made when a number of senior diplomats comprising the Ambassadors of USA, Italy and Germany were landing at an airfield in Batticaloa. Seven security personnel and the Ambassador of Italy have sustained injuries. Minister Rohitha Bogollagama continued, “This visit was undertaken to assess the resettlement process that is currently in progress in the East of Sri Lanka. These areas have now been substantially cleared of the LTTE and the resettlement of IDPs is currently taking place. The Human Rights & Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe led the mission. “ (Full report in Asian Tribune).

U.S., Italian ambassadors "slightly injured" in mortar attack in Sri Lanka - Envoys from the U-S and Italy have been slightly injured by Tamil rebels who attacked Sri Lankan helicopters taking foreign envoys to regions hit by the 2004 tsunami. Diplomats from Canada, France, Germany and Japan weren't injured. The rebels say they didn't know diplomats were inside the military helicopters. They blamed the army for putting them in harm's way. Several mortars exploded near the aircraft as it landed. A government spokesman says there was panic after the explosions (Full report in 7KPLC).

JHU wants US to learn a lesson from attack - The JHU yesterday said US ambassador in Colombo, Robert. O. Blake, who a few days ago said the LTTE could not be defeated militarily, should learn a lesson from yesterday’s incident in Batticaloa, where the ambassador too came under attack. Issuing a statement on the incident, the JHU said the US ambassador had lately been issuing statements that undermined the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and kindly requested him not to interfere in the internal politics of Sri Lanka. Recent statements by the US ambassador made one wonder whether Ambassador Blake is furthering the agendas of the LTTE, said the statement. The JHU said it hoped that yesterday’s LTTE attack on some diplomats would be an eye opener to Ambassador Blake, as it shows the true nature of the LTTE. The JHU has also said they would pray for the speedy recovery of the ambassador and all those who received injuries in the LTTE mortar attack (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Injured Italian Ambassador undergoes minor surgery - Italy’s ambassador in Sri Lanka, Pio Mariani, who was subject to head injuries due to Tiger artillery attack underwent minor surgery at the General Hospital in Colombo yesterday evening to remove shrapnel, hospital sources said. A spokesman for the hospital said that Dr. Sunil Perera removed a foreign object from his head at the National Hospital.” Soon after the attack, Mr. Mariani was admitted to the Batticaloa hospital with head injuries and was discharged after scanning of his head. Hospital sources said the diplomat was out of danger and was discharged after a brief procedure. Meanwhile, hours after the attack on diplomats in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka air force conducted an air strike on an identified LTTE base at Thoppiagala yesterday. “We believed a Tiger base and two mortar launching points were destroyed due to the aerial bombing,” military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said. He said the LTTE had been using this base to launch mortar attacks on the Security Forces detachments (Full report in Daily Mirror).

Ambassadors Slightly Wounded in Sri Lanka Rebel Attack - Sri Lanka says Tamil Tiger rebels deliberately targeted foreign ambassadors on a humanitarian mission to the east of the country. The Tigers acknowledge they fired artillery at the air force base where the diplomats were getting out of helicopters but say they were unaware the aircraft contained diplomats. The U.S. and Italian ambassadors were slightly injured in the attack. The landing zone for helicopters carrying the diplomats and Sri Lanka's human rights minister came under fire Tuesday from Tamil Tiger artillery. U.S. Embassy officials in Colombo say Ambassador Robert Blake suffered a "superficial wound" that "drew blood" and may have been caused by shrapnel or a rock. Italian envoy Pio Mariani was taken to a hospital where a small piece of shrapnel was removed from his head. The German Embassy in Colombo says its ambassador, Jurgen Weerth, initially reported hurt, was not injured. Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe was giving several diplomats a tour of the restive eastern district of Batticaloa, where government troops last month captured a key Tamil Tiger stronghold. Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry calls the incident a deliberate attack targeting foreign diplomats on a humanitarian mission. The executive director of the Regional Center for Strategic Studies in Sri Lanka, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, says if that was the case, it is likely to backfire on the rebels (Full report in HULIC).

EU condemns helicopter attack in Sri Lanka - Berlin, Feb 27: The European Union condemned today's attack on a diplomatic helicopter by Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka, calling on both sides to halt the violence and return to negotiations. The US and Italian ambassadors to Sri Lanka were lightly injured when their helicopters were targeted by mortars. The Foreign Ministry in Germany, which holds the rotating EU Presidency, said the bloc "emphatically calls on both sides to immediately halt the violence" in Sri Lanka. "The European Union calls on both sides to return immediately to the negotiating table and to work on the basis of a constructive proposal of a sustainable resolution to the conflict," the ministry said in a statement (Full report in Zee News).

LTTE shell attack: Italian ambassador underwent surgery in Colombo  - Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Pio Mariani, who was injured due to Tiger artillery attack underwent minor surgery at Colombo National hospital. “He was brought to the National Hospital in Colombo and Dr. Sunil Perera removed a foreign object from his head under local anesthesia,” a spokesman for the hospital said. He also said that the Italian diplomat was out of danger and discharged soon after the surgery. US Ambassador Robert Blake and German ambassador Jeurgen Weertah were slightly hurt, but neither needed hospitalization (Full report in Colombo Page).

Italy seeks clarification over shelling on their Ambassador - After injuring their Ambassador in Colombo, Italian government today sought urgent clarification from Sri Lanka over the incident. Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said in a statement he was ‘relieved’ that Pio Marini, the Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka since August 2005, had suffered only ‘light wounds’. He hoped that ‘the circumstances of the worrying episode can be clarified quickly.’ (Full report in Colombo Page).

SIXTEEN MOSTLY US PRO-LTTE ORGANIZATIONS ISSUE STATEMENT ENDORSING TIGERS WILLINGNESS TO SECEDE - By Walter Jayawardhana -  As the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam( LTTE) attacked US Ambassador together with his Italian counterpart following their announcement blaming the Western nations for not being ready to make concessions at the cost of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity sixteen pro-LTTE Tamil organizations in the United States issued a joint statement echoing the LTTE statement that was issued by the terrorist group on the fifth anniversary of the tattered Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) declaring it would resume war. The sixteen organizations mostly Ilankai Thamil Sangams have been mostly involved in fund raising activities for the LTTE or its front organizations. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and some of its front organizations are listed as foreign terrorist organizations by the US Department of State. But the pro-LTTE US organizations have been emboldened by the Califoria judgement that allowed these organizations to collect humanitarian funds opposed to funds that would buy weapons for the same organizations. The sixteen associations in this statement hailed the victory of the proxy party of the Tamil Tigers, the Tamil National Alliance that has been alleged to have achieved by all independent observers under armed intimidation of the LTTE and virtual ballot box stuffing at the 2004 elections as an expression of the free will of the Tamil people to bifurcation of Sri Lanka into two states. The statement also has refused to consider the fact that 54 percent of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka have selected to live outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka , the area the LTTE and its allies in the united States propose to carve out as a separate state from Sri Lanka. The sixteen North American pro-LTTE organizations that issued the statement are as follows : Association of Tamil Americans, Carolina Tamil Americans, Center for Women’s Development and Rehabilitation – USA Ilankai Tamil Sangam – California, Ilankai Tamil Sangam – Florida ,Ilankai Tamil Sangam – USA , Ilankai Tamil Sangam - Vancouver-Portland – Washington, Midwest Tamil Sangam – Illinois, Ohio Tamil Association - Ohio Tamil Heritage International – USA , Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation organization - California, World Tamil Organization - Illinois, World Tamil Coordinating Committee - USA, World Tamil Women Organization – USA .(EOM).

European Union condemns Tamil attack on diplomats in Sri Lanka - Speaking in the name of the European Union, Germany condemned Tuesday an attack in which rebels fired mortars at several EU ambassadors during an inspection trip in Sri Lanka.The German Foreign Ministry called the attack "a serious incident" and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities between the government and the rebels. It called on both sides to return to the negotiating table and seek a sustainable resolution to the conflict based on constructive ideas. The ministry said the European Union was willing to continue its support for the peace process in Sri Lanka. Reports from Sri Lanka said the German and French ambassadors were uninjured, but Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani suffered a head wound and US Ambassador Robert Blake suffered slight injuries in the attack. The ambassador of Japan and a UN co-ordinator were also on the trip. Tamil rebels admitted responsibility for the shelling, but blamed the government for bringing diplomats into the fighting zone (Full report in Jurnalo).

Sri Lanka's FM condemns attack on diplomats - Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has condemned an artillery attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels, which wounded the German, Italian and US ambassadors. "The LTTE has shown their true form as a terrorist organisation," he said. "This attack has been deliberately levelled against the foreign diplomats who were undertaking a humanitarian mission... I regret the situation that the foreign diplomats were subjected to in our country." "The government of Sri Lanka condemns this attack by the LTTE in the strongest terms," he said. Mr Bogollagama is accompanying President Mahinda Rajapakse on a week-long visit to China. "This is a reminder for the international community to take effective measures to eliminate fund-raising and weapon procurement by the LTTE in foreign countries." The ambassadors were wounded as they visited Sri Lanka's troubled region of Batticaloa, where Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces have been locked in a cycle of bloodshed despite a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire agreed in 2002 (Full report in Radio Australia).

Sri Lanka bombs Tamil hideout after attack on ambassadors -  Sri Lanka's air force bombed suspected Tamil rebel targets in the Batticaloa district hours after a group of ambassadors to Sri Lanka were attacked Tuesday in a mortar firing on an air field, according to the military and Minister of Human Rights and Natural Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe. A military spokesman said the retaliatory bombings were directed at the Thoppigala hideout of the rebels in the same district where Tuesday's morning attack took place. No details of damage caused were known immediately. The Tamil rebels admitted responsibility for the mortar firings at 8:45 a.m. at an airfield in Batticaloa, 240 kilometres east of the capital. Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani suffered a head injury in the mortar attack and was airlifted to a hospital, accompanied by German Ambasador Juergen Weerth, who was not injured. Weerth told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa his Italian colleague had a shrapnel wound to the head which must be operated on. He said that two shells exploded a "maximum of 40 metres" away from the group. US Ambassador Robert Blake suffered slight injuries in the attack and US embassy spokesman Terry White confirmed the ambassador was "allright." Also on the trip were the ambassadors from France and Japan as well as the UN co-ordinator in Colombo. The diplomats had planned a field visit to a coastal town recaptured by government forces from the Tamil rebels after a three-month long offensive as well as holding discussions on displaced civilians. "The mortar attack came soon after the diplomats landed," Minister Samarasinghe said, who was also at the scene and uninjured. The group arrived in a private charted flight and two military helicopters (Full report in EUX TV).

Ambassadors hurt in east Sri Lanka by rebel shells - - The Italian and U.S. ambassadors to Sri Lanka were slightly hurt on Tuesday when Tamil Tiger rebels shelled a delegation of diplomats led by the island's human rights minister to the restive east, officials said. Hospital officials in the eastern district of Batticaloa said Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani had a small piece of shrapnel lodged in his head outside his skull, but that it was a minor wound. Italian embassy officials declined to comment. U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake's arm was grazed either by shrapnel or a stone, the military said, but he was not taken to hospital and his embassy said he was fine. It is believed to be the first time Western envoys have been caught up in the conflict since the rebels began fighting for a separate state in 1983. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they were sorry the envoys were hurt by their fire, but blamed the army for putting them in harm's way. The attack came as helicopters carrying Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe as well as ambassadors from the United States, European Union, Japan, Germany and France landed in Batticaloa on a goodwill mission (Full report in Swiss Info).

US, Italian Ambassadors Wounded In Sri Lanka Rebel Attacks - The ambassadors of the United States and Italy were wounded Tuesday in an artillery attack by suspected Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told AFP. Samarasinghe, who was accompanying a group of Colombo-based diplomats to the district of Batticaloa, said the attack came shortly after one of two helicopters landed at a public playground (Full report in MediaFax in Romania).

Ambassadors To Sri Lanka Injured In Tamil Rebel Attack - A group of ambassadors to Sri Lanka were attacked Tuesday in a mortar firing on an air field in eastern Sri Lanka as the diplomats prepared to visit recently recaptured territory from Tamil rebels in the region, Minister of Human Rights and Natural Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe said. The Tamil rebels admitted responsibility for the attack. Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani suffered a head injury in the attack and had undergone a scan after being airlifted to a hospital, accompanied by German Ambasador Juergen Weerth, who was not injured. Weerth told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa his Italian colleague had a shrapnel wound to the head which must be operated on. He said that two shells exploded a "maximum of 40 metres" away from the group. US Ambassador Robert Blake suffered slight injuries in the attack which took place at 8:45 a.m. at an airfield in Batticaloa, 240 kilometres east of the capital. US embassy spokesman Terry White confirmed the ambassador was "allright." Also on the trip were the ambassadors from France and Canada as well as the UN co-ordinator in Colombo. The diplomats had planned a field visit to a coastal town recaptured by government forces from the Tamil rebels after a three-month long offensive as well as holding discussions on displaced civilians. "The mortar attack came soon after the diplomats landed," Minister Samarasinghe said, who was also at the scene and uninjured. The group arrived in a private charted flight and two military helicopters (Full report in Playful News).

AMERICAN AMBASSADOR AND HIS ITALIAN COUNTERPART INJURED IN A MORTAR ATTACK BY TAMIL TIGERS - By Walter Jayawardhana -  The US ambassador in Sri Lanka Robert Blake and his Italian counter part Pio Mariani escaped with “slight” injuries when terrorists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacked them when the helicopter they were traveling in a goodwill mission landed in the Eastern town of Batticaloa. The mortar attack is considered the first time any foreign ambassador has been attack by Tamil Tigers in the countryÂ’s two decades old Tamil insurgency. Last week the Tamil Tigers blamed the Western nations for trying to find out a solution for the Sri Lankan problem within the parameters of Sri LankaÂ’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Rejecting the ceasefire , they said they would start the war to carve out a separate state for them. The Tamil A Sri Lanka government Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe who traveled with them said the ambassadors were injured when the mortars landed close to the helicopters they were traveling after the aircraft landed in Batticaloa , a main town in the countryÂ’s Eastern Province. The Italian ambassador was immediately removed to the Batticaloa teaching hospital and Minister Samarasinghe said the injuries were slight. But the extent of the injuries were not explained immediately. The Ministry of Defense said the attempt came from the Tamil Tigers whose terrorist group is banned in the United States and European Union. Last week the the Tamil Tigers blamed the Western nations for seeking a solution for Sri Lanka restricted by concerns for Sri LankaÂ’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. They vowed to fight to carve out a separate state from Sri Lanka. The two ambassadors, accompanied by their staff and Sri Lankan officials, had traveled Tuesday morning to Batticaloa aboard two helicopters to attend a meeting about the development of the area, a hotbed of separatist violence "As their choppers landed mortars were fired by the Tigers," said Lt. Col. Upali Rajapakse, a senior officer the Defense Ministry's information section. He said the diplomats had already gotten out of the helicopters when the mortars were fired. It was not immediately known how they sustained their injuries. Seven Sri Lankan security personnel who were on the ground were also wounded, Rajapakse said. Despite the attack the planned meeting started with all the ambassadors attending , Army spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said. The army has identified the areas the attack came he said. ItÂ’s an area controlled by the Tamil Tigers , he said. (EOM).

U.S., Italian Ambassadors Hurt in Sri Lanka Shelling (Update5) -  The U.S. and Italian ambassadors to Sri Lanka and a German diplomat were wounded in an artillery attack by Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's east. The Tigers accused the government of putting the diplomats in danger. Robert Blake and Pio Mariani were injured when shells fired by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam struck an air force base at Batticaloa at about 8:45 a.m. Sri Lankan time, said Flight Lieutenant Kanishka Rajapaksa, a military spokesman. He didn't identify the German diplomat. Agence France-Presse identified him as Juergen Weerth, Germany's ambassador to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka's peace process collapsed last year as fighting broke out in the north and east of the country and two rounds of peace talks in Geneva failed. The LTTE last week marked the fifth anniversary of a cease-fire with the government by saying the army's new offensives will force Tamils to renew their struggle for self-determination. The Tigers expressed ``shock and sadness'' at the wounding of the diplomats, while saying the government was to blame for their injuries because it didn't inform the rebels the envoys would be in the area. The ``Sri Lankan government has exposed senior diplomats to danger by allowing aircraft carrying them into an area where they have declared military operations without informing the LTTE in advance,'' the rebels said in a statement, citing their military spokesman S. Ilanthirayan. Sri Lankan military aircraft bombed ``identified LTTE bases'' in the Batticaloa district after today's attack, military spokesman Upali Rajapakse said. The targets were marked for destruction before the attack he said (Full report in Bloomberg).

Tiger Terrorists Strike Helicopter Carrying US Ambassador - 2007-02-27 10:50:58 BATTICALOA : AN AIR FORCE HELICOPTER that carried a ministerial and diplomatic delegation narrowly escaped LTTE mortar fire this morning (27) around 9.00 a.m. in Webber stadium ground, BATTICALOA but the terrorist fire injured four Police Constables, three Special Task Force (STF) personnel, one airman, one embassy official and a student. Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, US Ambassador in Sri Lanka Mr.Robert O Blake including officials from Italian Embassy, UNDP and the Ministry of Disaster Management were about to alight from the helicopter when the mortar fire hit the location. The attack was directed at the helicopter as it touched the BATTICALOA Air Force camp while one more Air Force helicopter was also about to land at the same venue. Both helicopters were carrying these officials to BATTICALOA for a meeting this morning (27). One more private small helicopter that remained parked in the area received slight damages in the incident. However, both Minister and US Ambassador escaped unhurt and were whisked away to a safer location. One Italian diplomat injured in the incident is also receiving treatment in the hospital (Full report in Sri Lanka Army).

Diplomats Mishap: LTTE 'condemnation tactic' backfires? Tue, 2007-02-27 16:42 Colombo, 27 February, (Asiantribune.com): LTTE military spokesman, S Ilanthirayan expressed “shock and sadness” that Sri Lankan Government has exposed senior diplomats to danger by allowing air crafts carrying them into an area where they have declared military operations without informing LTTE in advance. He added that this is criminal negligence on the part of the Sri Lankan government. He said that simple diplomacy could have avoided the unfortunate incident and condemned the childish action of the Sri Lankan military. Analysts said that Ilanthirayan's statement is a tacit confession of LTTE continuously violating the ceasefire agreement which they claimed to uphold and also an expression of approval of attacking diplomats. Today (February 27, 2007) morning at 8:45 Sri Lanka time the LTTE launched a mortar attack from Vavunativu to Batticaloa Weber Stadium where aircraft movements were taking place. Their mortar fire resulted in minor injuries on to US Ambassador Robert O'Blake, Italian Ambassador Pio Mariano and the German Ambassador who were touring the east. They were accompanied by human rights minister Mahinda Samarasinghe (Full report in Asian Tribune).

It was an attack on the people - Minister Samarasinghe - COLOMBO: Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said it was not an attack on the ministerial and diplomatic team per se, but an attack on innocent civilians in Batticaloa. "But the Government will not waver from its commitment to their welfare," Minister Samarasinghe told the media soon after returning to Colombo. The team of foreign ambassadors together with other officials went to Batticaloa to assist the people living in those areas and ensure a better life for them. Hence this is an attack on 70,000 civilians who live in Batticaloa rather than an attack on the delegates themselves. "We landed about 8.30 in the morning and got out. At once I heard a big noise. Then I saw soil going up. Obviously it was a mortar attack. The mortars landed very close to the helicopter. Someone told me to get away from the helicopter as soon as possible and pushed me. There were other ambassadors who were just behind me. They followed me to the vehicles parked close by (Full report in Daily News).

US, Italian ambassadors injured in Sri Lanka - At least two western diplomats, including the US and Italian ambassadors, were slightly injured in a suspected rebel attack in the eastern Sri Lankan town of Batticaloa Tuesday, defence officials said. The ambassadors representing Sri Lanka's international donor community were accompanying the Minister of Human Rights and Disaster Management Mahinda Samarasinghe on a tour of the district. The diplomats and the minister had alighted from the Sir Lanka Air Force helicopter and were walking towards the buses when mortars fired by suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres landed near the site around 8:35 a.m. local time (0305 GMT). At least three police special task force (STF) personnel, two policemen and an air force personnel were also injured (Full report in Indian Muslims).

LTTE launches a mortar attack at VIP air movement- Batticaloa - LTTE terrorists launched a mortar attack targeting VIP air movement carrying Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe along with few foreign diplomats around 9 this morning. Defense sources said that the mortars were launched as the two helicopters landed at the Webber stadium in the Batticaloa town. Sources further confirmed that Minister suffered no injuries in the attack. However, few people including a foreign diplomat have suffered injuries. One of the helicopter belonging to a private airliner was slightly damaged in the attack (Full report in Daily News).

U.S., Italian Envoys Hurt in Sri Lanka - The U.S. and Italian ambassadors to Sri Lanka were wounded when their helicopters came under fire Tuesday from ethnic Tamil rebels who said they mistook them for a military target. U.S. Ambassador Robert Blake and his Italian counterpart Pio Mariani had just landed in the eastern city of Batticaloa when several mortars exploded near their aircraft, said Sri Lankan government minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who was traveling with the diplomats. He said the ambassadors both "suffered slight injuries" but were "fine" now. Seven Sri Lankan security personnel also were wounded, he said. The U.S. Embassy issued a statement saying Blake was "alright." Sri Lankan doctors said the Italian ambassador suffered shrapnel wounds to the head. Samarasinghe's spokesman described a close call, with people screaming and running for their lives (Full report in Sentinel News).

Sri Lanka rebels express 'deep regret' for attack on ambassadors - Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have expressed "deep regret" for an artillery attack which wounded three Western diplomats but accused the government of risking their lives by taking them to a war zone. The rebels said the Sri Lankan government and the diplomats had failed to inform them that they would be flying in two military helicopters into an area where only the air force operated. The shelling reportedly stopped after a UN official contacted the rebels and said that diplomats were in the two helicopters. The Italian, German and US Ambassadors to Sri Lanka were slightly injured when rebels shelled a delegation of diplomats led by the island's human rights minister. Hospital officials in the eastern district of Batticaloa treated Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani and German envoy Jurgen Weerth, and said they were then evacuated to the capital Colombo. US Ambassador Robert Blake's arm was grazed either by shrapnel or a stone, the military said, but he was not taken to hospital and his embassy said he was fine and unharmed. The attack came as helicopters carrying Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe as well as ambassadors from the United States, European Union, Germany and France landed in Batticaloa on a goodwill mission. "Due to Tiger shelling, the two helicopters were slightly damaged. They took off, but the US, Italian and German ambassadors had already got off and received minor injuries," said Lieutenant-Colonel Upali Rajapaksa of the Media Centre for National Security. "The act of shelling this delegation is a very serious thing by the Tigers," he added. "It shows the Tigers' callous disregard for the betterment of civilians in the east." Mr Samarasinghe was taking the ambassadors to the area where security forces last month captured a key stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The attack came days after the fifth anniversary of a truce between troops and the rebels. The ceasefire is holding only on paper, according to Scandinavian truce monitors (Full report in Radio Australia).

Sri Lanka diplomatic mission has been attacked - Terrorist act has been carried out in Sri Lanka. Among 11 injured people are American and Italian Ambassadors too. Partisans opened fire to UN airplane and after they attacked ambassadors' plane in Baticalo. Ambassador's lives are not in danger. They have been taken to hospital. Tigers of Tamil have taken responsibilities for the attack. From 1983 Radical organization is demanding to be acknowledged as an independent state (Full report in Imedi News in Georgia).

Government Condemns Attack on Diplomatic Corps - 2007-02-27 02:49:39 THE LTTE has once again demonstrated its terrorist nature by launching an attack on the Diplomatic Corps on their visit to Batticaloa, on the east coast of Sri Lanka on a humanitarian mission this morning (27), says a statement issued by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Rohitha Bogollagama on the LTTE attack on Diplomats. This mortar attack was made when a number of senior Diplomats comprising Ambassadors of USA, Italy and Germany were landing at an airfield in Batticaloa. Seven security personnel and the Ambassador of Italy have sustained injuries. This visit was undertaken to assess the resettlement process that is currently in progress in the East of Sri Lanka. These areas have now been substantially cleared of the LTTE and the resettlement of IDPs is presently taking place. The Human Rights & Disaster Management Minister Honourable Mahinda Samarasinghe led the mission. The Government of Sri Lanka condemns this attack by the LTTE in the strongest terms and reiterates its position on the need to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. I take this opportunity to call upon the international community to support the endeavours of the Government of Sri Lanka to address the scourge of terrorism and to pressure the LTTE to give up terrorism and return to the democratic fold. Once again, this is a reminder for the international community to take effective measures to eliminate fund raising and weapon procurement by the LTTE in foreign countries, the statement concluded (Full report in Sri Lanka army).

SL Human Rights Minister and Foreign diplomats narrowly escape LTTE Mortar attack- Batticaloa [2nd Lead] A delegation comprising Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, US Ambassador Robert O'Blake, Italian Ambassador Prio Mariani, German Ambassador Jurgen Weerth and several other foreign diplomats have narrowly escaped from a fierce Mortar attack launched by the LTTE terrorists this morning. Eleven people including the Italian Ambassador for Sri Lanka suffered injuries in the attack. The LTTE terrorists have launched a mortar attack targeting the VIP air movement that was carried out by two Air Force helicopters and an aircraft belonging to a private airliner from Colombo to Batticaloa. The Mortars have started to hit the Webber stadium, STF camp and the Air Force airstrip in Batticaloa around 8:45 a.m. as the aircraft touched down. The air force pilots managed to liftoff the chopper carrying the government officials and the foreign ambassadors and vacated the Webber ground tactically amid the LTTE mortar fire. However, the chopper carrying the foreign ambassadors was slightly hit and few of the passengers suffered slight injuries (Full report in Sri Lanka Defence Ministry).

US, Italian envoys injured in LTTE attack - The Ambassadors of the United States and Italy were injured on Tuesday in an artillery attack by suspected Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka. Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said US Ambassador Robert Blake and Italian envoy Pio Mariani were travelling with him to inspect military gains in the Batticaloa district where troops captured a key rebel stronghold last month. The Italian ambassador Mariani had a head injury and was admitted to the Batticaloa hospital while the US envoy had minor injuries, doctors said (Full report in Times of India).

Italian Ambassador Injured in Terror Attack Airlifted - BATTICALOA : THE ABORTIVE TIGER (LTTE) terrorist attempt in BATTICALOA this morning (27) on the lives of visiting Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights MAHINDA SAMARASINGHE, US Ambassador for Sri Lanka Mr ROBERT O BLAKE, Italian Ambassador for Sri Lanka Mr PIO MARIANI, Diplomats from Germany, France, Japan, Canada, UN and UNDP and State officials amply testifies to the brutality and callous regard those terrorists have towards the foreign community who arrived in the east to help resettlement of the displaced. The delegation was to attend a specially convened conference of state and NGO officials at BATTICALOA Divisional Secretariat Tuesday morning where resettlement, relief assistance and other relevant humanitarian matters of Tamil community were to be taken up for speedy action and discussion in the presence of the visiting Minister and high level diplomatic delegation. Tiger terrorists now infiltrated into areas west of VAVUNATHIVU, in most instances posing off as civilians during the past few weeks also continued their fire attacks towards STF camps in BATTICALOA. Today’s (27) mortars have according to confirmed reports been directed from the same area as one of the helicopters bringing those VIPs barely touched the Webber stadium ground for landing. Terrorist mortar fire that came in as a rain hit one of the delegates who had just disembarked but the pilot managed to avert further disaster by clever manipulation. Italian Ambassador in Sri Lanka Mr PIO MARIANI was among ten personnel who received injuries in the terrorist mortar fire. Four Police Constables, two airmen, three STF personnel, one Army soldier and a student were among others wounded in the terrorist attack. (See Tuesday’s (27) earlier Situation Report). Injured Ambassador for Italy was immediately airlifted to COLOMBO for urgent medical attention after he was given initial medical treatment at BATTICALOA teaching hospital. Injured personnel of the Security Forces were later airlifted to POLONNARUWA and AMPARA hospitals after initial treatment at BATTICALOA. However, delegates attended the initial session of the meeting as scheduled but the rest of the itinerary was adjourned in view of the concerns expressed by shocked foreign delegates. The terrorist attempt on the lives of diplomats was unreservedly condemned by members of the foreign and diplomatic community showing horror and revulsion as the news spread (Full report in Sri Lanka Army)..

Tiger Terrorists Strike Helicopter Carrying US Ambassador - BATTICALOA : AN AIR FORCE HELICOPTER that carried a ministerial and diplomatic delegation narrowly escaped LTTE mortar fire this morning (27) around 9.00 a.m. in Webber stadium ground, BATTICALOA but the terrorist fire injured four Police Constables, three Special Task Force (STF) personnel, one airman, one embassy official and a student. Minister for Disaster Management and Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe, US Ambassador in Sri Lanka Mr.Robert O Blake including officials from Italian Embassy, UNDP and the Ministry of Disaster Management were about to alight from the helicopter when the mortar fire hit the location. The attack was directed at the helicopter as it touched the BATTICALOA Air Force camp while one more Air Force helicopter was also about to land at the same venue. Both helicopters were carrying these officials to BATTICALOA for a meeting this morning (27). One more private small helicopter that remained parked in the area received slight damages in the incident. However, both Minister and US Ambassador escaped unhurt and were whisked away to a safer location. One Italian diplomat injured in the incident is also receiving treatment in the hospital (Full report in Sri Lanka Army).