SRI LANKA: BUS BOMBING KILLS 26

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000417 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: BUS BOMBING KILLS 26 REF: COLOMBO 00352 Classified By: Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr., for reasons 1.4(b,d). ¶1. (U) On April 25, a bomb exploded on a packed, evening rush-hour bus in Piliyandala, a suburb 15 km south of Colombo. Twenty-six people were killed, and 64 injured. The bus was traveling from the outskirts of Colombo to Kahapola, a village east of the city. Police have arrested nine suspects in connection with the bombing. The government blames the LTTE for the attack. ¶2. (U) President Rajapaksa said in a statement on April 26 that the attack showed "the terrorists had once again resorted to killing innocent civilians in the face of heavy setbacks on the battlefield." A military spokesman echoed this message, saying the LTTE "will resort to these kinds of attacks when they are losing." ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Friday night's attack comes less than three weeks after the April 6 LTTE suicide assassination of Minister for Highways Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and 13 others (reftel). It is likely the work of the LTTE, which seldom claims responsibility for its attacks. The GSL is attempting to frame the bombing as an indication that the LTTE is becoming more desperate as it faces increasing pressure in the North. This claim, however, rings hollow in the wake of the military's significant losses in Muhamalai on April 23. BLAKE