Incident Summary:
04/12/2006: Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres set off an improvised explosive device believed to target an army officer traveling in a double cab attached to a bicycle outside the gate of a vegetable market on the Central Road in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, at 3:50 p.m. where people had readied to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The attack killed seventeen people, seven Sinhalese, six Tamils, and two Muslims, as well as a security force (SF) personnel, and wounded at least 50.
Overview
GTD ID:
200604120003
When:
2006-04-12
Country:
Sri Lanka
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Eastern
City:
Trincomalee
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Military of Sri Lanka |
Specific Description |
Army Officer in double cab |
Nationality of Target |
Sri Lanka |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Citizenry of Trincomalee |
Specific Description |
Vegetable market in Trincomalee |
Nationality of Target |
Sri Lanka |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Remote Trigger |
Weapon Details |
Initial reports said a grenade was used. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Mob violence followed the vegetable market attack in which six persons were killed and shops, including those belonging to Tamils and Muslims, were set on fire. Between the initial attack and its aftermath, 38 persons were injured in the two incidents and a curfew was been imposed in the town. Sources differ on number of dead as the account changed over the day. --The attack also cast a dimmed hopes of the upcoming peace talks in Switzerland to save the ceasefire between Colombo and the Tamil Tigers. --The Tiger were blamed for this attack, but they made no comment. The Criminal Investigations Department investigated reports that people had triggered the explosion when they attempted to open an unattended parcel. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
17 Fatalities |
Total Number of Fatalities |
17 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
Unknown |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“Sri Lanka steps up security, curfew lifted in Trincomalee,” The Press Trust of India, April 13, 2006. |
“Market bomb kills 13, dims peace hopes in Sri Lanka,” Agence France Presse -- English, April 12, 2006. |
“Sri Lanka: 'At Least' 14 Killed, 48 Others Injured in Bomb Attack in Trincomalee,” Colombo Dinamina in Sinhalese, April 13, 2006. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties