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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002010 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2016 
TAGS: PTER PGOV MOPS PREL CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON DEFENSE 
SECRETARY FAILS 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Michael R. DeTar, for reasons 1.4(b, d). 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Unknown assailants, but most likely the LTTE 
("Tamil Tigers"), attacked the motorcade of Defense Secretary 
Gothabaya Rajapaksa (the brother of President Mahinda 
Rajapaksa) with explosives on December 1.  The method of 
delivery was apparently a vehicle-borne "claymore" mine. 
According to the director of the nearby National Hospital, 14 
were injured in the blast, one critically.  Seven of the 
wounded were soldiers.  There was one man dead from bullet 
wounds at the scene, possibly an assailant.  Both the 
hospital and the army spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe 
confirmed that Gothabaya Rajapaksa was not harmed. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The site of the blast, the intersection of 
Dharmapala Mawatha and Flower Road, is less than half a mile 
from the Embassy.  Embassy staff heard an explosion at about 
10:35 a.m. local time, followed by short bursts of gunfire. 
Community Liaison Officer was an eyewitness to the incident, 
traveling in a car approximately 50 meters ahead of the 
motorcade when the explosion occurred.  Vehicles and 
pedestrians were cleared from the scene as rescue vehicles 
and security forces arrived.  Debris from a vehicle blocked 
the intersection, and security forces immediately cordoned 
off the area. 
 
¶3.  (C) A military source told us that the vehicle driven by 
the presumed suicide bomber exploded a claymore mine after 
crashing into the Defense Secretary's motorcade.  There were 
conflicting reports as to whether the vehicle involved in the 
apparent suicide attack was a three-wheeled motor rickshaw, a 
motorcycle, or a taxi.  Some witnesses spoke of two 
explosions.  Brigadier Samarasinghe told us that the identity 
of the bombers was not yet known.  However, the attack bears 
all the usual hallmarks of the LTTE. 
 
¶4.  (C) Post convened the Emergency Action Committee.  We 
concluded that there were no Embassy personnel unaccounted 
for, and there were no indications of a continuing threat to 
American citizens.  EAC verified that the buses bringing 
children of Embassy personnel home from the Colombo 
International School would avoid the intersection where the 
attack occurred. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The consular section issued a warden notice 
cleared by Department about an hour after the attack advising 
American citizens to avoid the affected area, as well as Sri 
Lankan military and government motorcades and facilities. 
Ambassador Blake sent a condolence note to Secretary 
Gothabaya, expressing relief that the Secretary himself was 
not harmed.  Ambassador will use a previously scheduled news 
conference on World Aids Day to issue a statement condemning 
the attack and naming the LTTE as the likely perpetrators. 
 
¶6.  (C) COMMENT:  Gothabaya Rajapaksa has taken a hard line 
against the LTTE ("Tamil Tigers" ) since becoming Defense 
Secretary about a year ago.  During his tenure, the military 
 
SIPDIS 
has pursued an aggressive campaign against Tiger attempts to 
regroup and rearm, at times (like the LTTE) conducting 
offensive operations in violation of the 2002 Ceasefire 
Agreement.  Observers have been expecting a high-profile 
attack by the LTTE around the time of Tiger leader 
Prabhakaran's annual November 27 "Heroes' Day" speech.  An 
assassination attempt against a senior government leader was 
one of the more likely scenarios.  This attack will 
 
COLOMBO 00002010  002 OF 002 
 
 
undoubtedly lead to more pressure from GSL hardliners to 
strike back at the LTTE. 
BLAKE