Cablegate: 1990 Annual Terrorism Report: Sri Lanka And

O 161213Z NOV 90
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3376

UNCLAS COLOMBO 07592

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

FOR S/CT-BREELAND

E.O. 12356:N/A
TAGS: PTER CE MV
SUBJECT: 1990 ANNUAL TERRORISM REPORT: SRI LANKA AND
THE MALDIVES

REF: STATE 355397

1. DECONTROL UPON RECEIPT.
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2. FOLLOWING RESPONSES ARE KEYED TO QUESTIONS POSED IN
PARA 5 REFTEL:
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SRI LANKA
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A) IN 1990 THE GSL PROSECUTED TWO SIGNIFICANT CASES
INVOLVING ACTS OF TERRORISM -- ONE INVOLVING THREE
INDIVIDUALS ACCUSED IN THE MAY 1986 BOMBING OF AN AIR
LANKA TRISTAR AIRCRAFT, WHICH KILLED 28, AND ANOTHER
INVOLVING FIVE ACCUSED IN THE AUGUST 1987 GRENADE ATTACK
AT PARLIAMENT, IN WHICH TWO OFFICIALS WERE KILLED AND
SEVERAL OTHERS INJURED. IN BOTH CASES ALL OF THE
ACCUSED WERE ACQUITTED IN 1990; HOWEVER, IN THE
PARLIAMENT BOMBING CASE, AS OF NOVEMBER 1990 THE FIVE
ACCUSED REMAINED IN CUSTODY, UNDER EMERGENCY
REGULATIONS, PENDING GOVERNMENT APPEAL OF THEIR
ACQUITTAL.
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B) THE ISSUE OF EXTRADITION OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS HAS
NOT ARISEN.
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C) A POTENTIAL OBSTACLE TO FUTURE EXTRADITION OF
SUSPECTED TERRORISTS IS THE LACK OF A FORMAL EXTRADITION
TREATY BETWEEN SRI LANKA AND MOST NON-COMMONWEALTH
COUNTRIES.
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D/E) THE GSL, WHICH HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF NUMEROUS ACTS
OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM BY POLITICAL EXTREMISTS IN RECENT
YEARS, IS ON PUBLIC RECORD AS CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF
TERRORISM. DURING 1990 IT FOUGHT TERRORIST INSURGENCIES
AGAINST TAMIL SEPARATISTS IN THE NORTH AND EAST AND
SINHALESE EXTREMISTS (THE JANATHA VIMUKTHI PERAMUNA OR
JVP) IN THE SOUTH. THE LATTER INSURGENCY WAS LARGELY
DEFEATED BY EARLY 1990; HOWEVER, AS MANY AS 15,000
SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF THE TERRORIST JVP REMAIN IN
CUSTODY. THE GSL HAS INDICATED THAT IT WILL SEEK TO
PROSECUTE THOSE BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORIST ACTS
AND WILL PROVIDE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION TO THE
OTHERS. THOUSANDS FOUND TO HAVE ONLY MARGINAL TIES TO
THE JVP HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED. IN THE NORTH AND
EAST, THE LTTE SUDDENLY BROKE OFF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
GOVERNMENT IN JUNE AND LAUNCHED WIDESPREAD ATTACKS ON
POLICE AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY THE
LTTE ALSO ATTACKED NUMEROUS SINHALESE AND MUSLIM
VILLAGES, IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THEM OUT. THE
INSURGENCY CONTINUED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
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F) NONE NOTED.
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G) NONE NOTED.
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H) THE GSL APPEARS AS DETERMINED AS EVER TO COMBAT BOTH
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.
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3. REPUBLIC OF THE MALDIVES
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A) NONE.
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B) NO.
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C) NONE NOTED.
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D) NONE NOTED.
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E) NONE NOTED.
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F) NONE NOTED.
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G) NO.
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H) NONE NOTED.

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