Sunday, February 3, 2008

12 Civilians Killed by 'Fair Maiden of Death'

At last 12 people were killed and over 90 others injured, some seriously, when a LTTE female suicide bomber blew herself up on the 3rd platform of the Fort Railway Station at 2pm today. Six school boys, all from the D.S. Senanayake College (Colombo) baseball team and their coach were among those killed.

The suicide bomber was a young woman, light skinned and very attractive. She had disembarked from a train plying from Matara to Vavuniya. Since it is impossible to stop and check trains like buses, the Security Forces and the Police, who are on Red Alert ahead of tomorrow's 60th Independence Day Celebrations, had put in place a special security arrangement at the Fort Railway Station to check all passengers disembarking from trains.

Some eye witness accounts claimed the woman had moved towards an exit, but then turned back and was heading towards the stairway on Platform 3 when the explosion occurred. Seasoned military analysts investigating the case told us that it was unlikely for her to have targeted civilians, when she could have caused more damage by blowing herself up inside any of the carriages packed with people, like the one in which she had arrive to Fort from Matara.

It is uncharacteristic for the LTTE to use individual suicide bombers like this to hit civilian targets, unless they become victims of collateral damage during an attack on a military, political or economic target. Suspicions are that the bomber got agitated by the checking or that the suicide jacket short-circuited. Another bomb, possibly a hand grenade exploded inside the Dehiwala Zoo today. This is not considered the work of the LTTE.

Meanwhile some high level security arrangements are in place in Colombo as of tonight (nothing to do with blast), in anticipation of a possible LTTE plan to upset tomorrow's celebrations. The Woman may have been part of a much larger scheme.

39 comments:

Unknown said...

TOMORROW SOME OF OUR AIR ASSETS WILL BE IN A VULNERABLE POSITION. THEY WILL BE FLYING LOW AND SLOW.
I DID NOT WANT TO POST THIS EARLIER IN CASE I GAVE IDEAS AND TIME TO LTTE TERRORIST.

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT SOME SAMs MAY HAVE BEEN SMUGGLED AND WAITING TO MAKE A BIG SHOW DOWN TOMMORROW???

ANYONE RESPONSIBLE PLEASE ANALYSE THE RISK HERE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION!

Unknown said...

Hi DW,
what you mean by
or that the suicide jacket short-circuited?

Watsala said...

what is there to celebrate as independance??? Are we independant at all?? Such a waste of money, time, resources and human life by putting them in a vulnerable status due to sili celebrations and LTTE targets.. Sri Lanka SHOULD NOT celebrate anything until all of us can peacefully live together in harmony!! That's when we are truely independant!!!

defenceAnalyst said...

kiri,
Please do not discuss this issue now. We are under an information shutdown regarding the security arrangements. We will discuss this when the dnger is past.
Thank you

maha,
DW had explained how this could happen in a previous post following the death of civilians in a suicide blast in Jaffna.

I quote "actually bomb-making is not an exact science. It can go wrong any time if the bomb-maker is inexperienced, is rushed, not properly worn (suicide jacket), assembled and reassembled several times without care, defective material used, poor circuitry, sudden unexplainable surge/jolt etc etc. These tell-tale clues are left behind in the bomb fragments and scenario can be worked out by going on the reverse from point of detonation backwards. The detonation device of a suicide jacked for example, must be concealed. This forces the bomb techs to get inventive. The chords, explosives, charge etc has to become extremely compact. The more compact it is, the more complexity and dangerous it is. LTTE has managed this process well so far. But its still an accident waiting to happen- sometimes even before it is actually intended to happen."

Wathsala,
Agree with you 50%. Other 50% says we are celebrating independence from Foreign Rule, who left behind this conflict by pulling apart the Tamil man and the Sinhala man by promoting elites who were ethnic entrepreneurs.Unfortunately, the succeeding elites also became elite entrepreneurs for which (voting them into power), we are all responsible.

LKDOOD said...

Heavy clashes in Sri Lanka kill 46 Tigers and two soldiers, military says

LINK

Sen said...

wathsala and defence analyst I completely agree with you guys about us not being actually independent we are still under the yoke of the western powers true independence can only be gained by standing up to world and not licking there boots.

LKDOOD said...

US blames Tamil Tigers for Sri Lanka blasts

LINK

Sri Lanka to screen trains, buses from north

LINK

Explorer said...

February 4th is only another day for ordinary people. We have been celebrating it for 59 years up to now no? Has anything changed so far except for the high increase in the related expenses?

We are at war and the majority is suffering due to the bad management of the economy. Do you think it is reasonable to "celebrate" anything in grand scale at this time?

LKDOOD said...

Blast at Fort Railway Station(videos)

LINK

CASC said...

From press reports, the Sri Lanka Army is to recruit another 15,000 more soldiers to the ranks in 2008

2007 target = 15,000
2006 new recruits = 30,000
2006 new recruits = 10,500
2005 new recruits = 3400

The symbolism associated with the military is very important to the morale of the soldiers, and is also a key factor in attracting young people to the services. Military parades, gallantry awards, war memorials, etc are ways for the public and political leaders to show their appreciation to our soldiers. It is not a sign of being a militaristic state. However, these types of things need to be done in modertaion and should take into account the prevailing security situation.

LKDOOD said...

happy independence day !

NOLTTE=Peace said...

This is a great initiative.

Read about it. What a marvelous step.

http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/9442

"As Sri Lanka today (February 4) marks 60 years since the British colonialists departed the time has come for her to initiate the establishment of a global centre for Responsibility to Apologise and Compensate (R2AC). As a victim of Western colonialism for nearly 450 years this country is uniquely placed among former European colonies to raise the cry world wide for an apology and compensation for crimes against humanity and plunder of human resources during several centuries of colonial rule......."

Moshe Dyan said...

sadly, i agree with the idea that we have NOTHING to celebrate.

showing-off expensive military assets manufactured in foreign countries purchased with hard earned money of housemaids in the middlea east is shameful.

i pray ther won't be further trouble on civilians.

real independance comes when we can substantially overcome the scars left by colonialism.

Unknown said...

Below is a good article which would explain the present phase of the war and no holds barred attidute towards killings.

An agreement to fight some more
01 February, 2008 08:22:00 Jayadeva Uyangoda

http://www.morungexpress.com/index.php?news=682

Moshe Dyan said...

from news.com.au breaking news.

Rebels threaten bomb attacks todayFrom correspondents in Colombo
February 04, 2008 11:36am
Article from: Reuters
A CALLER claiming to be from a rebel group Sri Lanka's military says is a wing of the Tamil Tigers has warned of bomb attacks on Independence Day celebrations due to take place in the capital Colombo within hours.

Sri Lanka's military said the group, Ellalan Forces, was a codename used by Tamil Tiger rebels behind attacks in the capital.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to oversee an exhibition of military might in Colombo today, when tanks and thousands of troops will parade in the city, fighter jets will fly overhead and attack boats sail by to mark the 60th anniversary of independence from colonial ruler Britain.

The military is already on high alert after a series of bombings blamed on the Tigers in recent weeks, including Sunday's suicide bombing at the island's main train station in the capital which killed 11 and wounded 92.

The blast has been blamed on the Ellalan Forces.

"Please, be careful. There are going to be bombs in Colombo in some places," the anonymous caller told Reuters.

"In some places we have fixed bombs to target Independence Day celebrations."

The caller was unknown to Reuters, and hung up when asked if he was linked to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Tigers were not immediately reachable for comment.

"Ellalan forces ... are those operating in Colombo," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara. "It's the Tigers."

Troops have cut off roads near the parade site along a promenade by the Indian Ocean, and mobile telephone subscribers have been advised all SMS services will be cut for several hours, a measure seen aimed at hindering any efforts to coordinate attacks.

Fighting between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE rebels has intensified since the government scrapped a six-year-old ceasefire last month, saying the rebels were using it to rebuild and re-arm and were not sincere about talking peace.

....end.

may be its fear mongering by a lunatic; may be it is a warning to say afterwards we warned you beforehand by a terrorist.

tikira said...

Terra's using time bombs and human bombs to divert attention,it's beleived that they might strike after the celebrations using c4 packed luxury vehecles( about three of them on the loose),thev'e got a suprice(a nother one)thats what we should look out for,possibly a lady driver wearing shades and posh looking(just a guess).

LKDOOD said...

Bomb warning ahead of Sri Lanka Independence parade

LINK

LKDOOD said...

Defencewire & guys

Reuters report:

'A man claiming to be from the group called Reuters in January 1996 one minute before suspected Tigers rammed a truck packed with explosives into the Central Bank in Colombo'

is this true ?

LKDOOD said...

Dailymirror:

Location of unidentified caller raided-

Intelligence officials this morning raided the registered location of a mobile number from which telephone calls were made to certain private newspapers warning them against attending the Independence Day celebrations at Galle Face.

LKDOOD said...

Sri Lanka Marks Independence, Says Rebels Face Defeat

LINK

17 Tamils arrested in Nugegoda

LINK

LKDOOD said...

Independence Day speech(FULL TEXT) by the President

LINK

Anonymous said...

"The U.S. military said Monday that it accidentally killed nine Iraqi civilians during an operation targeting al-Qaida in Iraq south of Baghdad."

When we think about SLA with limited resources/technology and fighting with LTTE who locates big guns near hospitals, churchs etc SLA is doing a great job, but don't get the deserved reward from (international) media.

DW
If possible and when you have time you may analyse / compare civilian casualties happened y SLA to that of US/NATO etc in Iraq, Afganasthan etc together with how media reports.

LKDOOD said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LKDOOD said...

Defencewire/guys

Tamilnet:
Bakmityawa STF camp attacked

-------------------------------------

The Liberation Tigers have attacked and destroyed a Special Task Force (STC) camp in Bakmityawa in the Ampara District in the early hours of Monday, according to initial reports from the south eastern town.

The Tigers launched the attack on the STF camp around 4.30 a.m and took control of the camp within an hour, the sources said.

The Tiger commando unit set fire to several bunckers and defence posts before withdrawing from the camp, the sources added.

The STF commandos decamped in the initial stage of the attack. Details of casualties are not known, the sources added.
----------------------------------------

any news ?

Unknown said...

Ninja Bandara, The Americans are kiliing Iraqi civilians, the SLA is killing Sri Lankan civilians. Its really sad that you conjure such thoughts. You seem to feel the tamils are not part of the country.

LKDOOD said...

Independence Day speech(video) by the President

LINK

Sandun Dasanayake said...

Blast in Welioya

A blast has been reported from Janakapura, Welioya resulting in several civilian deaths.

Sandun Dasanayake said...

3 died 15 injured according to V FM

Sandun Dasanayake said...

60th Independence Day Celebration

YouTube Video - Part 01

YouTube Video - Part 02

YouTube Video - Part 03

YouTube Video - Part 04

YouTube Video - Part 05

YouTube Video - Part 06

LKDOOD said...

Roadside Bomb Kills 12 in Sri Lanka-MONDAY 4TH(TODAY)

LINK

R*fard&C*ble said...

GOSL take out these Heads of Finance Thamilenthi, Thamilkumaran .. that will be one of the biggest blows to LTTE.

tangara said...

rfardcable,

What is the latest from Wanni..
Where is Velu?
Can you enlighten us please?

serendib said...

Looks like Velu has left the Vanni and Pottu is running the show.

serendib said...

So called IC want to find an excuse to intervene (R2P).
Velu is working hard to satisfy them by killing civilians.
Govt. has to be very careful since so many civilians getting killed and UN might want pay a visit to SL saying that Govt cannot protect civilians... etc..etc.

LKDOOD said...

14 dead in Sri Lanka bombings, president says winning war

LINK

LKDOOD said...

BBC:Fear in the capital of Sri Lanka

LINK

LKDOOD said...

unfortunate child victim of a bomb blast

LINK

LKDOOD said...

President vows to crush “terrorism” as violence increases

LINK

Unknown said...

hahaa :D

"showing-off expensive military assets manufactured in foreign countries purchased with hard earned money of housemaids in the middlea east is shameful."

lol, how about the hard working Srilankan "Ministers" money who lives by begging? Sinhales will soon be beggers as they have nothing but a HUGE dept to pay... don't wory Eelam will help you

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