SRI LANKA: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 002101 SIPDIS SENSITIVE S/CT FOR RHONDA SHORE AND ED SALAZAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER ASEC KCRM EFIN KHLS KPAO CE LTTE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: 2005 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 193439 GENERAL ASSESSMENT -------------- ¶1. (U) The Sri Lankan government strongly supports the Global War on Terror and continues to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to combating terrorism. Sri Lanka has acceded to all international conventions that deal with combating terrorism, with the exception of the 1980 Nuclear Materials Convention and the 1988 Convention on Safety of Off-Shore Platforms. The Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing, Act 25 of 2005 was passed by Parliament in August ¶2005. This law gives effect to the U.N. International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. Sri Lanka is a member of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) working group on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime formed in July 2004. In her address before the U.N. General Assembly on September 17, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga urged greater progress in addressing the socio-economic and cultural roots of terrorism. The Sri Lankan government has cooperated with U.S. efforts to track terrorist financing, although no assets have been identified in Sri Lanka to date. The U.S. has worked with the government of Sri Lanka to provide training for relevant government agencies and the banking sector. The Sri Lankan government did not extradite nor request the extradition of suspected terrorists during the year. Sri Lankan police provided both investigative and protective assistance in response to Embassy requests. There have been no cases of international terrorism in Sri Lanka during the year, and no U.S. citizens have been killed or injured in acts of terrorism in Sri Lanka during the reporting period. A cease-fire agreed to in February 2002 between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),a Foreign Terrorist Organization, continued to hold despite numerous violations, including the August 12 assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar outside his Colombo residence by a suspected LTTE sniper team. The Sri Lankan Army remains deployed across the country for counter insurgency purposes. The paramilitary Special Task Force police (STF) are deployed in the east and at strategic locations in the west. ¶2. (U) Numerous violations of the cease-fire agreement were committed, primarily by the LTTE, during the year. The LTTE conducted a campaign of targeted assassinations against political opponents, members of a dissident LTTE faction (known as the Karuna faction),and suspected Sri Lankan Army informants, killing at least 48 individuals during the year, as well as 49 members of the Sri Lankan security forces. The dissident Karuna faction has conducted a campaign of targeted assassinations against the LTTE and pro-LTTE civilians in the east. An estimated 27 LTTE members were killed during the year. With civilian casualties, nearly 200 deaths attributed to cease-fire violations occurred during the year. SANCTUARY (SAFE HAVEN) ASSESSMENT -------------- ¶3. (U) Sri Lanka has designated as terrorist organizations those groups listed under UN Security Council Resolutions 1267 and 1333 and has prohibited transactions with them. The government of Sri Lanka does not allow territory under its control to harbor international terrorists. However, the LTTE controls approximately 20% of the island and may engage in such activities. ¶4. (U) The police and the Directorate of Internal Intelligence have the authority to investigate terrorism, and the Attorney General has authority to prosecute terrorism cases. There were no convictions and no new cases filed against suspected terrorists during the year, although 34 cases filed during previous years remained pending at year's end. The government enacted the Emergency Regulations following the August 12 murder of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Kadirgamar. These regulations give the power of arrest to members of the Armed Forces who are required to turn suspects over to the police within 24 hours. Individuals arrested under the Emergency Regulations may be detained for up to one year. 148 persons, most of whom have already been released, were detained under these regulations during the year. Provisions permitting longer periods of detention (up to 18 months) under special anti-terrorist legislation have not been invoked since the signing of the cease-fire agreement. INFORMATION ON TERRORIST GROUPS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In 1983 the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) began an armed insurgency against the Government of Sri Lanka, combining guerrilla tactics, political assassinations, suicide bombings, child recruitment and conventional warfare. An estimated 65,000 Sri Lankans have died in the insurgency since 1983. In May 1991, former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi was killed in India by an LTTE female suicide bomber. In 1997 the U.S. Government designated the LTTE a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The LTTE signed a Cease-fire Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka in February 2002. The cease-fire continues to hold, despite persistent violations. ¶6. (SBU) Highly self-sufficient, the LTTE finances its struggle by (sometimes involuntary) contributions from the Tamil diaspora around the world, including North America, Europe and Australia, by imposing local "taxes" and operating businesses in the areas of Sri Lanka under its control. The local press has reported efforts in the UK and Australia to scrutinize fundraising by LTTE-affiliated groups. Following the August 12 assassination of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar, the E.U. imposed a travel ban on the LTTE. LTTE military training is self-taught, and weapons are either purchased on the international black market or captured from the Sri Lankan Army. There is no indication that the LTTE is trying to acquire WMDs. Many LTTE innovations such as explosive belts, vests and bras, the use of female suicide bombers and waterborne suicide attacks against ships have been used by other terror groups. The LTTE has not targeted U.S. citizens or assets, limiting attacks to Sri Lankan security forces, political figures, Sri Lankan civilians and Sri Lankan businesses. However, in November 2005 suspected LTTE militants threw a grenade at a truck donated by the U.S. to a humanitarian demining program. At the time, the truck was occupied by Sri Lankan soldiers, one of whom was killed in the attack. INFORMATION ON FOREIGN GOVERNMENT COOPERATION -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The Sri Lankan government has cooperated with U.S. efforts to track terrorist financing. The U.S. has worked with the government of Sri Lanka to provide training for relevant government agencies and the banking sector. The Sri Lankan police provided both investigative and protective assistance in response to Embassy requests. The Government of Sri Lanka is cooperating with the United States to implement both the Container Security Initiative and the Department of Energy's second line of defense "Megaports" programs at Colombo port. These programs target containers bound for the United States to increase confidence in the safety of these containers and ensure that no illicit nuclear material is shipped via the port. This cooperation would be strengthened by a serious U.S. government investigation of possible LTTE fundraising in the United States. POC --- ¶8. (U) Evan Owen owene@state.gov owenew@state.sgov.gov LUNSTEAD