COLOMBO, 27 September 2005 — Three prison guards and an inmate were killed when unidentified gunmen shot at a prison bus transporting suspects to court in western Sri Lanka yesterday, police said.
A truck blocked the bus and eight gunmen aboard the bus opened fire in Gampaha town, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from capital, Colombo, a policeman said. He cannot be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The motive of the attack was not immediately known.
However, detainees believed to be members of criminal gangs have increasingly come under attack at court buildings and in prison vehicles.
There are tens of thousands of army deserters in Sri Lanka said to be involved in organized crime and contract killing, according to Sri Lankan media reports. The Sri Lankan military says it has a list of more than 70,000 soldiers who deserted during a protracted civil war that has been temporarily halted by a 2002 cease-fire deal.
