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| S Lanka anniversary amid tensions | S Lanka anniversary amid tensions |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| There is tight security in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, where a military parade is being held to mark the 60th anniversary of national independence. | |
| Security forces are on high alert after a series of bombings over the weekend. | Security forces are on high alert after a series of bombings over the weekend. |
| At least 11 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at the main railway station on Sunday, while 18 died in a bus blast in Dambulla on Saturday. | At least 11 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack at the main railway station on Sunday, while 18 died in a bus blast in Dambulla on Saturday. |
| Both were blamed by the government on the Tamil Tigers rebels, though the rebels have denied involvement. | Both were blamed by the government on the Tamil Tigers rebels, though the rebels have denied involvement. |
| The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have been fighting for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, have carried out frequent suicide and bomb attacks in the city and other parts of the country. | The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have been fighting for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, have carried out frequent suicide and bomb attacks in the city and other parts of the country. |
| Sabotage threat | Sabotage threat |
| There has been a resurgence of violence in Sri Lanka since the government officially withdrew from a ceasefire with the Tigers last month. | There has been a resurgence of violence in Sri Lanka since the government officially withdrew from a ceasefire with the Tigers last month. |
| The station blast was the latest in a series of attacksAhead of the celebrations marking independence from Britain much of the centre of Colombo was sealed off by military checkpoints. | The station blast was the latest in a series of attacksAhead of the celebrations marking independence from Britain much of the centre of Colombo was sealed off by military checkpoints. |
| Thousands of police and troops are on the streets and the navy has stepped up coastal patrols to combat a possible sea-borne attack. | Thousands of police and troops are on the streets and the navy has stepped up coastal patrols to combat a possible sea-borne attack. |
| The massive military parade which is the centre point of the celebrations is the first national event since the government withdrew from the 2002 truce. | The massive military parade which is the centre point of the celebrations is the first national event since the government withdrew from the 2002 truce. |
| Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told Reuters news agency that the armed forces were expecting the rebels to launch an attack: | Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told Reuters news agency that the armed forces were expecting the rebels to launch an attack: |
| "There have been recoveries of suicide jackets and an LTTE cadre (fighter) last week. They are trying to disrupt the independence celebrations," he said. | "There have been recoveries of suicide jackets and an LTTE cadre (fighter) last week. They are trying to disrupt the independence celebrations," he said. |
| The civil war has intensified in the last month, with heavy fighting on the front lines that surround rebel-held territory in the north of the country. | The civil war has intensified in the last month, with heavy fighting on the front lines that surround rebel-held territory in the north of the country. |