Sri Lanka accuses rebels of sinking navy ship

Sri Lanka accused Tamil Tiger rebels of sinking a naval ship in the eastern port of Trincomalee on Saturday but said no casualties had been reported.

"The logistic vessel called Invisible ... sank due to an underwater explosion," said navy spokesman Commander D.K.P Dassanayake.

The sinking occurred as Sri Lanka prepared to stage the first local elections in its eastern region in two decades on Saturday.

On Friday, a bomb exploded in a cafe in the eastern town of Ampara, killing at least 11 people, said the military.

It blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the blast.

Source: Reuters

..Navy spokesman Cmdr. D.K.P. Dassanayake says the rebels attacked the cargo ship with an underwater explosion at about 2:15 a.m. He says the 213-foot (65-meter) vessel was empty.

Source: IHT