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Devananda fears another attack, appeals to President
By Frances Bulathsinghala 
Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda who escaped an assassination attempt on Wednesday says the LTTE might try to kill him again and he has requested tighter security from President Chandrika Kumaratunga. 

Mr. Devananda told The Sunday Times the President had earlier urged him to be careful against possible LTTE attacks after his heightened role in supporting renegade LTTEer Karuna.  Mr. Devananda said that in the wake of the warning, he had requested tighter security for his Hindu Affairs Ministry but the request was ignored. "I am now seeking the direct intervention of the President for tighter security arrangements," Mr. Devananda said refusing to name the person he was blaming for the security lapse but expressing concern that the LTTE might again try to kill him.

Explaining that the area for carrying security checks of visitors to his ministry was right adjoining his office room, Mr. Devananda said he had made several requests to be given the two top floors of the Tourism Ministry building so that security could be tightened. But his requests were ignored.

"If the suicide bomber had exploded herself in the security checking area, I would have been killed," he said.
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