The 73-year-old Kadirgamar was shot in head near his tightly-guarded home in Colombo's posh residential area of Cinnamon Gardens Friday night.

He was admitted to the hospital with serious head injuries after he was shot at around 11:15 p.m. local time Friday. He passed away at 00:15 a.m. Saturday.

Security sources said a sniper had shot at him while he was near the swimming pool of his private residence in the plush residential area of Cinnamon Gardens in the capital.

Kadirgamar, a Tamil, was in the forefront of Sri Lankan government's campaign for an international ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

As a well known lawyer, Kadirgamar entered politics in 1994 and was immediately made the foreign minister.

He held the post from 1994 to date, barring a short period between 2001 and 2003.

Kadirgamar topped the hit list of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Kadirgamar was provided with enhanced personal security from crack commando units since he led a campaign resulting in an international ban on the Tamil Tigers.

(Photo source: yahoo.com)