Suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blows himself

The military says a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber has blown himself up near a convoy carrying a senior Sri Lankan Cabinet minister, wounding his deputy and at least six others.

Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara says Maithripala Sirisena, the agricultural development minister, was unhurt in the blast in Boralwegamuwa, about six miles (10 kilometers) from the capital.

The injured included his junior minister, Siripala Gamlath, Nanayakkara said, blaming separatist Tamil rebels for the blast. The bomber was killed. There was no immediate comment from the rebels. The Tamil Tigers, who are banned in the United States and European Union as a terrorist organization, routinely deny involvement in suicide attacks.