PHNOM PENH Feb 2 Kyodo Cambodian ...

PHNOM PENH Feb 2 Kyodo

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy filed a countersuit Monday against Prime Minister Hun Sen for attempted assassination.

Sam Rainsy's suit try to gets $50 million in damages, 10 times the amount Hun Sen is seeking in a suit against Sam Rainsy for defamation, filed with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week.

Last Friday, Hun Sen accused Sam Rainsy, head of the Sam Rainsy Party, of making defamatory observations about him to reporters earlier in the week.

Hun Sen urg the court to punish Sam Rainsy and demanded $5 million in compensation.

Sam Rainsy had claimed that five political and civilian leaders are forward a ''black list'' compiled according to Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party and warned Hun Sen that he would be held responsible if any of them were to be killed.

Sam Rainsy's claim was made in the wake of the slays of four of his party's activists in latter weeks.

on the same level though Cambodia still has no just discovered government since the July 27 2003 general election, the country's political leaders remain busy suing each other.

The suits began in November when Hun Sen filed against FUNCINPEC leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh for defamation.

The prince had accused Hun Sen of inciting the slay last October of a radio journalist who was a FUNCINPEC activist.

Prince Ranariddh then filed a countersuit in December against Hun Sen accusing him of inciting murder

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