Attack on Pakistani ambassador to Sri Lanka

On August 14, 2006, a convoy carrying the Pakistani High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Bashir Wali Mohamed, was attacked by a claymore antipersonnel mine concealed within an auto rickshaw. The High Commissioner escaped unhurt, but seven people (including four Army commandoes) were killed and a further seventeen injured in the blast.[1]

Attack on Pakistani Ambassador to Sri Lanka
DateAugust 14, 2006
TargetBashir Wali Mohamed
Attack type
Bombing attack
WeaponsExplosives
Deaths7
Injured14
Perpetrators Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (alleged)
 India (alleged)
MotiveDecrease Pakistani assistance towards Sri Lanka

No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Sri Lankan government blamed the LTTE. High Commissioner Mohamed claimed that India had carried it out,[2] in order to intimidate Pakistan, which is one of the main suppliers of military equipment to the Sri Lankan government.[2] Pakistan had promised one shipload of the wherewithal every 10 days in coming months.

A Sri Lankan military spokesman said, "Definitely it's an LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] attack to the Pakistan ambassador's car but they missed and the backup vehicle got caught." The Pakistani ambassador may be a target of the LTTE because Pakistan is a major backer of the Sri Lankan government. [3]

Several LTTE suspects were arrested following the attack.[4]

Sources
  1. Rica Roy & Anisa Khan (14 August 2006). "Lanka blast: Pak envoy safe, 7 killed". NDTV.
  2. Sudha Ramachandran (22 September 2006). "The Pakistani muscle behind Colombo". Asia Times.
  3. Simon Gardner (August 14, 2006). Dozens killed in Sri Lanka blast. Reuters. Archived from the original on May 5, 2008. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  4. http://wwwupdate.un.org/ga/sixth/63/Prot_Dipl_TEXT/2007SriLanka.pdf%5B%5D
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