there were school children among the victims

President of Sri Lanka issued a statement saying that he unequivocally and severely condemned the attack in Buttala. According to the eyewitnesses, The attackers detonated a roadside bomb killing many paseengers. They say the attackers also opened fire at fleeing victims.

unequivocally and severely condemned the attack the President

In a statement issued by the presidential secretariate, the president blamed the Tamil Tigers for the atrociity. Retreating attackers are also accused of killing five other people in a nearby village.

"I unequivocally and severely condemn the explosion carried out by the LTTE at Niyadella in Buttala today, and the subsequent armed attack on the village of Dambeyaya at Okkampitiya, targeting innocent civilians including women and children, and reject with contempt the renewed message of terror and violence sent by the LTTE through these acts of unmitigated brutality" says the statement .

The eyewitnesses described their experiance to the BBC Sinhala Service.

S.S.M. Sunil was one of the passengers who got away, he said “The bus was thrown after the blast. "I did not realise what happened at first. Then I felt that I was bleeding. I jumped out of the bus and ran. The attackers started shooting at the people who were running away".

Shot at fleeing victims

"I was travelling in the bus. There was a huge explosion. People fell on top of me. Then they started shooting at the people who were trying to escape. There were two dead women on top of me. I saw another girl and asked her to call the police" said M. Upatissa who was wounded in the attack.

The conductor of the fatal bus described what he saw. "Around 7.30am, we were hit with an explosion. I was next to the front entrance. People fell all over the bus. I jumped out and ran. I saw the driver slumped across his seat. Suddenly the Tigers boarded the bus and started shooting the passengers. They also shot at the people who were fleeing. One of the men running close to me also got shot. We dragged him and went in to hiding".

I took my baby and started running. They started shooting at us. I ran with my baby survivor

'I saw bodies all over the bus'

Dilrukshi Manjula was travelling in the bus with her young child. "I was in the bus. There was a huge blast. When I turned around, I saw bodies everywhere inside the bus. I took my baby and started running. They started shooting at us. I ran with my baby. They kept on shooting at us. We hid until the police arrived. Lot of people who escaped from the blast were shot afterwards while they were trying to escape".

	sscene of the attack

William Sudharshana was on the roadside when the blast rocked the area. "I was on the road when it happened. I thought one of the tyres of the bus blew up. Then a person came on to the road and started shooting. I went and rang the police".

My son screamed ‘tigers!’

R. M. Wimalawathie, who lived nearby came out of her house on hearing the blast. "I heard it and told my son a tyre had burst. My son and I came out to see what happened. I saw a lot of black smoke coming out. Then a person jumped out of the bus. Suddenly people in black uniforms started shooting. My son screamed ‘tigers!’.

People in the area say they had reported about sightings of strangers in the area during the last few days. They said that they had informed the police but nothing was done.

R. M. Jayasekera, the Officer in Charge of Buttala Police told the media that he despatched a unit of officers to the area to investigate, but failed to find any suspicious activity.

The government had offered compensation for the victims and had offered to pay for all funeral arrangements.

Tamil Tigers had not responded to the allegations of carrying out the attack which had deliberately targeted civilians.