POTENTIAL SUICIDE BOMBER DETONATES AT COLOMBO

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001120 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS NSC FOR E.MILLARD USAID FOR MARK WARD AND JIM KUNDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2014 TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV CASC CE LTTE SUBJECT: POTENTIAL SUICIDE BOMBER DETONATES AT COLOMBO POLICE STATION REF: COLOMBO-OPS CENTER 07-07-04 TELCON Classified By: Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead. Reason 1.5 (b,d). ¶1. (C) At 12:15 pm on July 7, 2004, a potential suicide bomber detonated at the Colpetty (Kollupitiya) Police Station in Colombo. According to news reports, the bomber was caught at a nearby government ministry building and brought to the police station for further investigation. Sri Lankan military and police sources have confirmed to Embassy officials that it was a female suicide bomber, who detonated herself once inside the police station. It appears that four police are dead, in addition to the bomber, with approximately eleven others (police officers and civilians) injured. ¶2. (SBU) The police station is located directly across the street from the British High Commission, which shares a wall with Mission's chancery compound. There was no damage to the compound from the blast and no Embassy employees were injured. As far as we know, no other Americans were injured. ¶3. (C) A more detailed report on the situation, including suggested language for a travel advisory, will be forthcoming by COB Colombo time. LUNSTEAD