PEOPLE LAY ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING AN ATTACK ON SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT KUMARATUNGA, 1999-12-18 (photo)

People lay on the ground just after a suicide bomber exploded a bomb at a presidential campaign meeting addressed by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga in Colombo December 18. A woman suicide bomber slightly wounded Kumaratunga and killed at least 15 people at an election rally in central Colombo, just days before the presidential poll in which she is seeking re-election, officials said. Police and witnesses said the suicide bomber had tried to jump a barrier to get close to Kumaratunga while the president was walking towards her car after finishing a speech at a meeting of her ruling People's Alliance on the last day of campaigning before Tuesday's vote. DNC