Colombo (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Ten dead and over twenty wounded according to the Colombo government in the wake of a suicide attack on a mosque in the South of the country. At 10.30 this morning a man detonated himself close to Godapititya mosque, in Akurassa city, Matara district.
Initial reports say the attacker hurled himself against a procession of Muslim faithful who were in the city to mark Milad Festival, the Islamic celebrations for Milad-un-Nabi, prophet Mohammad´s birthday.
Among those wounded are government representatives and the minister for communications Mahinda Wijesekara. Head of the Petrol ministry, A. H. M. Fowzie, who was at the celebration declared: "There were six ministers and the terrorists used this occasion to target them".
The Ministry for Defence has accused the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Ltte) but so far they have not claimed the attack.
1.4 million Muslims live in Sri Lanka representing 7.5 % of the islands´19 million inhabitants. Islam is the nations third largest religion after Buddhism (over 13 million faithful, 69% of the population) and Hinduism (circa 9 million).
