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OO RUEHBI
DE RUEHLM #1719/01 2911100
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O 181100Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4503
INFO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 0373
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RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1428

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001719 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
ROME FOR POL, LEE BROWN - PLEASE PASS TO A/S BOUCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER PHUM PREF MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: LTTE "SEA TIGER" SUICIDE ATTACK ON 
GALLE NAVAL BASE 
 
REF: COLOMBO 1705 AND PREVIOUS 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: On October 18, five "Sea Tiger" boats 
disguised as fishing craft attacked the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) 
base in Galle Harbor, in Sri Lanka's south.  Two of the 
suicide boats detonated at the entrance to the harbor; the 
Navy destroyed the three others before they could do much 
damage.  Two small SLN patrol craft were destroyed, but 
merchant craft apparently escaped serious damage.  Two SLN 
sailors and two unidentified persons, probably port workers, 
were killed.  15 SLN sailors and 14 civilians were injured. 
The attack provoked angry demonstrations by Sinhalese gangs 
seeking revenge against Tamil residents and shops in Galle, 
but police quickly quelled the disturbances and placed Galle 
under curfew until 6 a.m. Thursday.  End Summary. 
 
Suicide Boats in Galle 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) Media Center for 
National Security confirmed that two Liberation Tigers of 
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) "Sea Tiger" boats exploded at the entrance 
of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Headquarters at Galle Harbor on 
the early morning of October 18, destroying two SLN patrol 
craft.  The Navy destroyed the remaining three suicide boats 
before they could detonate against targets.  The suicide 
boats moved toward the naval base by hiding among fishing 
boats in the adjoining harbor.  Military spokesman Brigadier 
Prasad Samarasinghe told pol FSN that two SLN sailors were 
killed.  Security forces said that two unidentified bodies, 
initially thought to be LTTE suicide attackers, were probably 
port workers.  15 SLN sailors and 14 civilians were injured. 
 
Tamilnet Touts Tiger Action 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The pro-LTTE Tamilnet website reported that a 
"15-member attack team" approached the naval base in five 
boats, successfully detonating three suicide boats.  The site 
did not specifically claim that it was an LTTE operation. 
The report added that amphibious attackers landed and fired 
RPG rounds into the SLN base, followed by a ground attack on 
the base lasting approximately two hours. 
 
Police Avert Major Disturbances in Galle 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The LTTE attack sparked anti-Tamil demonstrations in 
predominantly Sinhalese Galle, 70 miles south of Colombo. 
Angry crowds gathered and reportedly threatened to set fire 
to Tamil businesses.  The Associated Press reported that 
police wounded three people when firing on the demonstrators. 
 However, Deputy Inspector General of police in Galle told us 
that his men had fired in the air, and denied reports of any 
wounded.  In any case, the prompt police response seems to 
have averted a potential anti-Tamil riot.  Authorities 
immediately imposed a curfew until 6 A.M. on October 19. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Neither the government nor the LTTE has yet 
pulled out of peace talks scheduled for October 28-29 in 
Geneva.  With its first attack deep in the predominantly 
Sinhalese south since the signing of the 2002 Ceasefire 
Agreement, the LTTE clearly wants to send a message that it 
can still strike anywhere.  The latest Tiger attack on a 
"southern" target, following a string of defeats at the hands 
of GSL security forces over the past two months, may reflect 
the LTTE's desire to approach the negotiating table from a 
stronger military and propaganda position.  However, some 
 
COLOMBO 00001719  002 OF 002 
 
 
observers believe that the LTTE aim is to provoke the 
government into withdrawing from the talks.  Japanese Peace 
Envoy Akashi and Norwegian facilitator Hanssen-Bauer are both 
in Sri Lanka engaging the government and LTTE to try to keep 
new negotiating round in Geneva on track. 
MOORE