Sri Lanka: Politician shot at midnight Mass

Unidentified gunmen shot and killed a pro-rebel legislator as he attended midnight Mass at a church in eastern Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said today, sparking fears of a return to civil war in the island nation.

The attackers fired at Joseph Pararajasingham, 71, during the Christmas service at St. Michael’s Church in Batticaloa, the site of frequent skirmishes between rebel factions, military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said.