Sri Lanka bombs Tigers, wants tattered truce reviewed

COLOMBO, May 7 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's air force bombed a Tamil Tiger training camp near the rebels' northern stronghold today, as the government said it wanted peace broker Norway to review whether to axe a tattered 2002 truce altogether.

The military said air force jets pounded the site south of the Tigers' de facto capital Kilinochchi in the island's far north, but had no details on casualties. The Tigers were not immediately available for comment.

Defence spokesman and minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the government would breach the terms of a 2002 ceasefire -- which has broken down on the ground but still technically holds on paper -- if necessary to safeguard national security.

''(The ceasefire) has been violated over 10,000 times. As far as we are concerned national security is utmost, and we will not compromise with national security,'' Rambukwella told a media briefing.

''Let us not beat about the bush. The fact of the matter is (the truce) has been violated over and over again, and we have very clearly stated it's up to them to re-look at it,'' he added. ''If one wants to do away with it or continue with it, we have said that if you want you can have a re-look at it.'' Government officials have long argued the truce conceded too much to the Tigers and many privately say it should be abandoned.

Rambukwella said the air force would step up spy plane flights over rebel territory, which are truce violations in themselves.

Officials at Norway's embassy said they had received no request from the Sri Lankan government to review whether to end the ceasefire.

VISITS TO REBELS BLOCKED Norway's ambassador had been due to visit the rebels in their stronghold on Monday as part of Oslo's peace-broking effort, but Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said trips to the rebel de facto capital were impossible at the moment.

The government and the Tigers have repeatedly ignored international community calls to halt a new chapter in the island's two-decade civil war.

Today's air strike comes after a series of land and sea clashes that have killed dozens of troops and rebels in recent weeks as the conflict deepens.

About 70,000 people have died in the war since 1983. The rebels are fighting for a separate state for minority Tamils.

The air strike also comes after a rebel air raid on oil storage depot north of the capital a week ago, which the Tigers warned would be followed by more attacks using their air force of converted light aircraft.

''Neither side are respecting the ceasefire and that does not bode well for hopes of returning to a meaningful peace process,'' said Thorfinnur Omarsson of the unarmed Nordic Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission.

''But it's still not too late to save the ceasefire agreement.'' REUTERS RL RK2038