A senior Sri Lankan minister escaped a possible assassination attempt in an LTTE suicide attack that left seven persons dead and 28 injured in Central Colombo Friday morning. Preliminary reports said the explosion occurred at the busy road outside the hospital where usually a large crowd is present during the busy morning time. The bomb went off exactly at 1000 hrs. However, the bomber, who was lurking at the main gates of a hospital triggered a powerful explosion minutes after the convoy of Minister for Health Nirmal Siripala De Silva, entered the compound of his office located a few yards away from the hospital, eye witnesses said. This is the first major incidence of explosion after the parliamentary election was announced. De Silva later said that he was climbing the stairs of his office, when he heard the blast. The police cordoned off the entire area and traffic was diverted. Bureau Report