P285 285 YLE TEKSTJ-TV 7.03. 2221:43    News in English Saturday   Tamils step up attacks in Sri Lanka  Seventeen people were killed when Tamil guerrillas attacked and blew up an army vehicle today. The attack on the vehicle, which was also transporting civilianb, follows incrjased activity by Tamil separatist groups who are fighting for an indepjndent state on the island. More than 500O people have died in the Sri Lankan Tamil-conflict during the past 4 years. News in Brief I 286 INDEX 280