The aftermath of a suicide attack in Colombo's main railway station. Sri Lanka's telecom networks Monday blocked text messaging on mobile phones as part of security measures for the island's independence day celebrations, the phone operators said

Sri Lanka's telecom networks Monday blocked text messaging on mobile phones as part of security measures for the island's independence day celebrations, the phone operators said.

The main mobile service provider Dialog, in a message to its subscribers, said SMS (short message services) would not be available for 12 hours, the duration of independence day festivities.

"We regret to inform subscribers that SMS services of all mobile operators will not be available from 6 a.m. to 12 noon on 4th February 2008," said the company, a unit of Malaysian Telekom.

Officials said Sri Lanka's telecom regulator had ordered the suspension of SMS messages, fearing Tamil Tiger rebels could use them to scare people into staying away from celebrations.

Security has been raised to unprecedented levels across the country after a suicide bombing at the main railway station in the capital Colombo killed at least 12 people and injured more than 100.

A day earlier, an attack on a bus outside Colombo killed 20 people.

Monday's celebrations are the first national event since the government in Colombo last month withdrew from a 2002 truce with the Tamil Tiger guerrillas fighting for an independent homeland.

© 2008 AFP