Sri Lanka Defence Secretary escapes suicide attack

Friday, December 1, 2006

The Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gothabaya Rajapakse narrowly escaped a suicide attack from suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels. The attack took place in downtown Colombo, the Sri Lankan Capital at 10:30 a.m., as a convoy carrying the Defence Secretary and other officials was attacked by a suspected terrorist in a three wheeler.

Early reports indicate that Gothabaya, brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and vocal critic of the LTTE, escaped unscathed, while at least 2 people have died and 14 others were injured, including 5 civilians.

While the LTTE has yet to claim responsibility for the latest strike, the militant separatist group, proscribed as a terrorist organisation in countries such as the United States, England, India, Australia and the E.U., has yet to do so for any of the suicide attacks attributed to them throughout their history. In 2006 alone the group has been accused of carrying out suicide attacks on unarmed Sri Lankan servicemen in Habarana and on a naval base in the tourist city of Galle, as well as failed attempts on the lives of Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka and Pakistani Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Bashir Wali Mohamed.

The latest suicide attack comes just days following a declaration from LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, that the Norway brokered ceasefire agreement with the Sri Lankan government was ‘defunct’.

Sources

BBC News. "Bomb targets Tamil Tigers' critic" — BBC, December 1, 2006
Reuters. "Sri Lanka hit by suicide bomb attack" — The Melbourne Age, December 1, 2006
China View. "Explosion hits Sri Lanka capital" — China View, December 1, 2006
Sri Lanka Army. "Two Soldiers On Defence Secretary’s Escort Sacrifice Their Lives" — Sri Lanka Army, December 1, 2006
Anjana Pasricha. "Sri Lanka Suffers Second Suicide Attack in Week" — Voice of America, October 18, 2006
Simon Gardner & Asif Fuard. "Tamil Tigers attack ambassador" — The Scotsman, August 15, 2006
BBC News. "Bomb targets Sri Lanka army chief" — BBC, April 25, 2006

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