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