Attackers on Sri Lankan cricketers identified

Friday, March 6, 2009

Islamabad - Pakistani security agencies have identified the perpetrators of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team on Tuesday morning.

The final investigation is to be presented later on Friday.

"We have identified the people who did the operation," said the Governor of Punjab province Salmaan Taseer at a news conference in Lahore, capital city of Punjab province on Thursday.

He said he would only be able to elaborate once the investigation was presented.

Unidentified gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team while traveling to the stadium in Lahore, killing at least seven people including five policemen and injuring 19 others. Seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach were injured.

The Sri Lankan team abandoned their last match after the attack and returned to Colombo on Wednesday. Two of the six Sri Lankan cricketers have responded well to surgery.

"Thilan Samaraweera's and Taranga Paranavithana's surgical operations were completed. They can resume playing cricket after resting for about a month," Dr Geethanjana Mendis of the Sports Ministry's Medicine Unit said.

Mr Samaraweera was hit by shrapnel on his right knee and Mr Paranavithana suffered a shoulder injury. Dr Mendis said all other four injured players were fine and would be able to resume playing cricket immediately.

The Sri Lankan national cricket team is a major cricketing team in the world. The team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup by beating Australia in the finals.