Several killed in Sri Lanka blast

At least 10 people are killed and 35 wounded, including a minister, in a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide blast.

A worker cleans the scene where a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber attacked this morning, outside a mosque in Akuressa south of Sri Lanka March 10, 2009. A suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed at least 10 people and wounded 35, including Sri Lanka's telecommunications minister, during a Muslim festival in the Indian Ocean Island’s south on Tuesday, officials said. REUTERS/ Nirlias (SRI LANKA POLITICS CONFLICT) *** Local Caption ***  NIR07_SRILANKA-_0310_11.JPG
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COLOMBO // At least 10 people have been killed and 35 wounded, including the telecommunications minister, in a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide blast at a parade in southern Sri Lanka today, officials said. The blast happened in Godapitiya in Matara district, about 160km south of the capital Colombo, during a national festival to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Mohammed. "Six ministers were there and terrorists used this opportunity to target us. Only one minister, Mahinda Wijesekara, got injured. Seven bodies have been found at the spot," the oil resources minister AHM Fowzie said. Mr Wijesekara is minister for post and telecommunications. *Reuters/AP