Top official's daughter killed in Yangon blast

Top official's daughter killed in Yangon blast

YANGON (Agencies): A bomb yesterday exploded at the house of
one of Myanmar's top military officials, killing his daughter and
setting off a renewed security alert in the capital.

A bomb exploded at the house of Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, Secretary Two
of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and
Chief of Staff, Army, on Sunday night.

Sources close to the family said Tin Oo's eldest daughter was
killed in the blast.

The bomb went off in the bedroom of the general's wife, Khin
Than Nwe, who was absent at the time, the source said.

The daughter, Cho Le Oo, was speaking on the telephone in the
room and took the full force of the blast, the source added.

"We heard there was a bomb blast yesterday night at the house
of Secretary Two and his eldest daughter died because of the
blast," one source close to the family told Reuters.

Government officials confirmed the attack but would not say if
Tin Oo's daughter was killed.

"The incident is correct. It is still under consideration and
we will send you the details," a spokesman told Reuters. When
asked about Tin Oo's daughter he said information on the subject
would be issued later.

Another person might also have been injured in the blast,
which was said to have occurred at about 8:30 p.m. (1400 GMT) on
Sunday, one diplomat said. Officials did not say if Tin Oo was in
the house at the time of the blast.

Heightened security was apparent on Yangon streets yesterday.
Armed troops and police stood on many streets although they were
not seen stopping pedestrians or vehicles.

"This just adds to all the other tensions," said one diplomat.
"Now there are streams of troops in the streets."

"The big question now is who did this," said another diplomat.
"Not only is it disgusting but it raises all sorts of questions
about terrorism and national security."

Myanmar's military government has been on top security alert
since late December when two bombs exploded at a Buddhist shrine
in Yangon, killing five and wounding 17.

The government blamed the attack on the Karen National Union
(KNU) guerrilla group, which has denied responsibility.

Tin Oo is one of the hardliners in the government, and often
gives speeches urging troops and citizens to "annihilate" anyone
who opposes the government and anyone seen trying to undermine
the stability of the nation.

Some sources said suspicion had fallen on ethnic guerrillas of
the KNU.

Tin Oo toured captured KNU bases in southern Myanmar last week
in the region of Minthamee, near the border with Thailand.

However, Mahn Sha, KNU joint first general secretary, denied
that the rebel group was responsible for the attack.

Reached by AFP's Bangkok bureau at the Thai border, Mahn Sha
said he believed the blast was the result of internal differences
within the SLORC.

Myanmar has been rocked by unrest over recent months, with
rare student demonstrations in December followed by the bomb
blast at the Buddhist shrine.

In mid-March religious troubles between Buddhist monks and
Moslems erupted and the government imposed a curfew in some areas
and several restrictive measures in an effort to curb the
violence and unrest.

The government had sent hundreds of troops to patrol the
streets ahead of the March 27 Armed Forces Day. Authorities said
top officials feared a terrorist attack around that day, when all
of Myanmar's top military brass would be together in the capital.