BOMB THREAT CALLED IN TO AMEMBASSY COLOMBO

UNCLAS COLOMBO 002294 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII AND DS/IP/SA EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES FOR RSOS E.O.12958: DECL: 1.6 X6 TAGS: ASEC PTER CE SUBJECT: BOMB THREAT CALLED IN TO AMEMBASSY COLOMBO REF: COLOMBO 2231 (NOTAL) SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) ON DECEMBER 12, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1045 HOURS, AN UNIDENTIFIED MALE CALLED THE EMBASSY AND SAID TO THE OPERATOR, "THERE IS A BOMB IN THE EMBASSY." THE CALLER WAS DESCRIBED AS A LOCAL MALE, WELL EDUCATED WITH CLEARLY SPOKEN ENGLISH. THE CALLER IMMEDIATELY HUNG UP. ¶2. (SBU) GIVEN THE INFREQUENCY OF SUCH THREATS IN COLOMBO (THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE IN AT LEAST FIVE YEARS, PERHAPS LONGER) ACTING RSO REACTED THE MARINES AND CALLED THE SRI LANKA POLICE SPECIAL TASK FORCE (STF). ¶3. (SBU) THE A/RSO CLOSED POST TWO AND THE PAC AND INSTRUCTED ALL VISITORS IN THE CONSULAR SECTION TO LEAVE THE EMBASSY GROUNDS. ¶4. (SBU) POST ONE MADE A SELECTONE ANNOUNCEMENT CALLING ON ALL STAFF TO SEARCH THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS. THE LOCAL GUARDS SEARCHED THE EMBASSY GROUNDS AND THE MARINES SEARCHED THE COMMON AREAS OF THE CHANCERY. IN ADDITION, RSO STAFF CONDUCTED A SWEEP OF THE CHANCERY USING ITEMISER TRAPS. ¶5. (SBU) NO UNUSUAL OBJECTS WERE DETECTED AND ALL ITEMISER RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE. IN ONE HOUR, THE EMBASSY WAS REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC. A FINAL SWEEP WITH AN STF BOMB DOG WAS ALSO NEGATIVE FOR EXPLOSIVES. ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: THE A/RSO IS CONCERNED THAT THIS CALL IS ANOTHER REFLECTION OF AN INCREASE IN ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT IN SRI LANKA. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT ROCK THROWING INCIDENT REPORTED IN REFTEL, THE OVERALL INCREASE IN WORLD-WIDE ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT AND THE LACK OF A PRECEDENT OF BOMB THREATS AT AMEMBASSY COLOMBO, THE A/RSO DECIDED TO RESPOND WITH ALL AVAILABLE ASSETS. EMBASSY AND HOST NATION RESPONSE WAS EFFECTIVE AND PRODUCED MINIMAL DISRUPTION TO EMBASSY OPERATIONS. A/RSO HOPES THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF MORE TO COME. END COMMENT WILLS