The Indonesian police in Jakarta said that a leading gun runner of the Sri Lankan terrorist group Tamil Tigers will be extradited to the United States in few days on charges that he was allegedly smuggling arms for use in terrorist attacks in New York.

2nd Lead 
 
WATTALA: LTTE terrorists who had infiltrated the ELAKANDA power substation in the WATTALA-MARADANA junction, some 10 kilometers north of Colombo had blown up a large transformer while causing heavy damages to two others in the facility. The terrorists had cut open the protective wire mesh around the premises to gain access into the facility. 

Within the 24 hours from 6.35 p.m. on Thursday (05.01.07) and 2.35 p.m. on Saturday (06.01.07), 17 civilians including men, women and children lost their lives in two explosions set off by the LTTE terrorists.

THE GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS THE BRUTAL LTTE attack on two passenger buses in Meetiyagoda on the Colombo – Galle highway today (06) and in Nittambuwa yesterday (05) which has killed over 16 and injured around 75 civilians. The government extends its deep sorrow to the relatives of the dead and wish the injured a speedy recovery.

GALLE: A powerful bomb exploded inside a Colombo – Matara passenger bus around 2.35 pm today in the MITIYAGODA Police division in Godagama today (06).

3rd Lead           
The bomb that ripped through a passenger bus in NITTAMBUWA killing 6 civilians and wounding around 50 weighed 2 kilos, initial investigations have revealed. The 2 kilo high explosives bomb had been set under a  seat.
7 out of the 10 critically injured civilians were rushed to the General hospital in Colombo for urgent treatment.

2nd Lead 
GAMPAHA: 5 Civilians Were Killed And Over 30 Injured when a bomb exploded inside a passenger bus traveling from NITTAMBUWA to GIRIULLA around 6.45 p.m. today (05).

GAMPAHA: A bomb exploded inside a passenger bus traveling from NITTAMBUWA to GIRIULLA a few minutes go in the NITTAMBUWA town.

THE BOMB BLAST AT PITHTHALA JUNCTION, COLOMBO 3 on 1st December 2006 targeting Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse was the 73rd suicide mission carried out by the LTTE since 1987. The first LTTE suicide attack was in Nelliadi, Jaffna in 1987. A suicide cadre named Millar drove an explosive laden lorry into an Army camp in Nelliadi on 5th July 1987. 19 soldiers were killed while 31 were wounded in the attack. 3 LTTE terrorists were also killed in the mission. 

The Tigers  face  a severe  recruitment problem  to fill their numbers as 'fighters' due to heavy losses they  sustained in Mavil Aru, Muhamalai, Thoppur, Sampur, Muttur jetty, and Vakarai.

The major reason  for  poor recruitment is due to the breakaway of the renegade Karuna, until last year, the LTTE  Eastern sector leader. The Eastern province,     the former   resources pool  to fill the vacancies  for their dead and wounded  is now    closed.

THE GOVERNMENT COMPLETELY rejects the false information spread by the LTTE on the air strikes carried out by the Air Force on a sea tiger base in Illuppaikadavai, north of Mannar in the morning hours yesterday (02) The government believes that the LTTE is attempting to mislead the International community. The sea tiger base at Illuppaikadavai was a well identified target which was under constant observation by the Air Force. The government reiterates that the Air Force carried out this attack on a well identified sea tiger base and not on a civilian settlement.

The Air Force denied bombing civilian settlements in ILLUPPAIKADAVAI, north of MANNAR this morning as alleged by pro LTTE media groups.

Terrorism operates disregarding humanity and irrespective of community and gender said Mr. Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, the Prime Minister, addressing the gathering at the ceremony held to usher in the New Year at the Defence Ministry today.

The Prime Minister further said,