Sri Lanka rebels sorry ambassadors injured, blame army

COLOMBO, Feb 27 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers said on Tuesday they were sorry the Italian, German and US ambassadors had been slightly injured by their fire today, but blamed the army for putting them in harm's way and for provocation.

The Tigers said they had not been advised foreign diplomats were being transported into what they called a military operational area, and accused the army of firing at them first.

The military said the Tigers fired mortars and artillery shells.

''We are sorry that they are injured. But we did not injure them,'' said Tiger military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan. ''It is the military's fault for putting them in a war zone.'' ''These areas are the usual launching pads for military attacks,'' he added. ''Even this morning they fired at us and we retaliated. No one informed us the ambassadors were there.'' Hospital officials in the eastern district of Batticaloa treated Italian Ambassador Pio Mariani and German envoy Jurgen Weerth.

US Ambassador Robert Blake's arm was grazed either by shrapnel or a stone, the military said, but he was not taken to hospital and his embassy said he was fine and unharmed.

The attack came as helicopters carrying Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe as well as ambassadors from the United States, European Union, Germany and France landed in Batticaloa on a goodwill mission.

REUTERS BDP VC1416