Large explosion near Colombo may be sonic boom

Colombo, June 23 : Sri Lanka's military said there were reports of a large explosion at sea just north of the capital today, but details remained sketchy and at least two defence officials said it might be a sonic boom from a jet.

The military said the blast appeared to have occurred offshore some 10 km north of Colombo towards the island's main international airport the target of a 2001 suspected Tamil Tiger suicide attack.

''It's somewhere at sea. No details yet. We have sent air force and navy to the scene,'' a defence spokesman said.

But air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha de Silva said it appeared to be a false alarm caused by a government jet.

''It's a sonic boom,'' he said.

On Saturday, police said they arrested three suspected Tamil Tiger rebel frogmen on a beach nearby. The government said they were seized with explosives and another government spokesman said the blast could be from one of them.

With violence rising and a 2002 ceasefire seen near collapse, the country is extremely tense.

So far, violence has largely been restricted to the island's north and east but many fear attacks in the capital.

Reuters