Bomb Kills Lt. Gen Tin Oo's Daughte

[soewin@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Bomb Kills Lt. Gen Tin Oo's Daughter

BOMB KILLS TOP BURMESE OFFICIAL?S DAUGHTER
RANGOON  (Reuter) A bomb exploded at the house of one of Burma?s top
military officials, killing his daughter and setting-off a renewed security
alert in Rangoon, the government and diplomats said on Monday. 

The explosion at the home of Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, secretary two of the ruling
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and army chief of staff, was
on Sunday night 

"On the evening of the 6th of April an explosion took place at the residence
of Lt. Gen. Tin Oo," a statement issued by the military government on Monday
said. "In this incident the general's eldest daughter Cho Lei Oo, age 34?was
killed in the terrorist bomb explosion."

The statement did not give further details except to say that Cho Lei Oo was
the mother of two and initial investigations showed the explosion was caused
by a parcel bomb. It did not blame anyone for the attack. Diplomats said a
funeral was due to be held on Tuesday. A makeshift tent, presumably for a
memorial service, was seen on the grounds of Military Hospital Two where she
was apparently taken after the attack. Another person might also have been
injured in the blast, which was said to have been caused by a parcel bomb
and occurred at about 8:30 p.m.  on Sunday, diplomats said.

One diplomat said officials told him? that Tin Oo was not injured in the
attack although there were rumors he had been sent to hospital after the blast.

The statement said nothing about Tin Oo and if he was at home at the time of
the attack.

Heightened security was apparent. on Monday on Rangoon streets, mostly near
Tin Oo?s home in an elite residential neighborhood. 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." Burma?s military government has been on top security
alert since late December when two bombs exploded at a Buddhist shrine in
Rangoon, killing five people and wounding 17.

The government blamed the attack on the Karen National Union (KNU) guerrilla
group, which has denied responsibility.
The KNU has not been blamed for the latest attack, but a KNU official told
reporters in Thailand the group had nothing to do with the bombing at Tin
Oo?s house.

Tin Oo was the last major official to visit the Sacred Tooth Relic Pagoda on
Christmas day before the two bombs went off. He ad his wife went to the
shrine early on Dec. 25, ad the first bomb went off in the evening.

Tin Oo is a hard-liner and often gives speeches ,troops and citizens to
"annihilate anyone who opposes the government or is seen as trying to
undermine the stability of the nation.

Burma has been rocked by violence in recent months. Rare student
demonstrations in December were followed by the bomb last at the Buddhist
shrine.

In mid-March, religious troubles broke out between Buddhist monks and
Muslims, and the government imposed a curfew and several restrictive
measures in some areas.

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 Burma?s top generals would be
in the capital.