Three-Wheeler assassin was following Gotabhaya convoy
December 3rd, 2006
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj
Information has now come to light that the male suicide killer who blew up an explosive – laden three – wheeler in a futile bid to assassinate Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse had been following the motorcade his intended target was travelling in for quite a while.
According to a comment made to the Colombo media by an army commando assigned to protect President Rajapakse’s younger brother the motorised auto – rickshaw numbered wp – GH 0617 had been following the vehicle convoy and trying to get close to the Defence, Public Safety and Law and Order secretary’s vehicle.
This information negates the earlier theory that the three – wheeler had been waiting at the Pithala junction traffic lights for his quarry.
According to S. Ajith Kumara the Army Commando the security personnel escorting Gotabhaya had noted the three – wheeler and were planning to fire at the auto – rickshaw wheels but were too late.
“We blew our whistles at the three-wheeler and even pointed guns at him to scare him off but he kept coming closer and closer to the convoy. The driver appeared to be in a great hurry and just as we took aim to fire at the tyres of the three wheeler, we got caught in the traffic and he got closer to us and detonated himself in the three-wheeler,” Ajith Kumara said.
“We then realized it was a suicide bomber and soon the whole place was covered in thick black smoke and there was chaos. I ran to Mr. Rajapaksa’s vehicle helped him to get out of it and put him in one of our Defender’s. We shot in the air to clear the area of people and stop vehicles moving in so that we could rush him to the President’s house,” he said.
What is even more disturbing from a security perspective is the fact that the would be assassin was aware of Gotabhaya’s schedule and watching his movements.
Gotabhaya Rajapakse had originally planned to visit Minneriya in the Polonnaruwa district on Thursday Nov 30th. He had postponed it for Friday Dec 1st due to a stomach upset.
The Defence Secy was planning to go to the Defence Ministry after attending a national security council meeting at “Temple Trees” . The NSC Meeting was an unscheduled one. President Rajapakse who returned after a five day trip to India had convened it urgently to find out the security situation in the aftermath of the LTTE Great Heroes day speech by tiger chief Velupillai Pirapakaran.
The meeting was to take place at 10. 30 am but Gotabhaya had got a little late due to a check up of his blood pressure in the morning. A doctor had made a house call and pronounced him fit.
Shortly before he started out Mrs. Gotabhaya Rajapakse had set off for a Seva Vanitha meeting at the Air Force headquarters. Though the Defence secy’s wife was also travelling with security escort in an identical bullet – proof BMW vehicle that Gotabhaya had later travelled in the suicide killer had not followed her
The assassin had apparently known that the occupant of the BMW was not Gotabhaya. There are four identical BMW vehicles reserved for the Defence secretary’s use.
Mrs. Gotabhaya Rajapakse’s vehicle too had passed through the Turret Rd – Flower Rd junction where the explosion occurred later.
Interestingly enough First Lady Ms. Shiranthi Rajapakse too had passed through the same junction a few minutes before Gotabhaya’s vehicle reached there.
Turret Rd and Flower Rd are now known as Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatte and Sir James Peiris Mawatte respectively.
The explosion happened near the Citibank building.
About ten kg of plastic explosives had been used. Police believe the suspected black tiger had triggered the explosion awat from Gotabhaya’s BMW because he could not get close enough to ram it. The body of the killer was found in a double cab minus head and an arm.
Mahinda Gunasekera, an eyewitness to the incident now undergoing treatment at the National hospital told the Colombo media about what he had seen
“Just before the blast I saw commandos of the Defence Secretary blowing their whistles and shouting at the suspected three-wheeler . As soon as the convoy had to stop because of the traffic, the three-wheeler that attempted to ram into Mr. Rajapaksa’s convoy was blocked by one of the backup vehicles which he rammed into and then exploded. “Due to the impact I was thrown away and was unconscious for a few minutes,” he said.
When the explosion took place a Christmas Carol service rehearsal was going on at nearby Bishops College. Staff and students promptly laid themselves on the ground.
President Rajapakse at “Temple Trees” heard the explosion sound and got agitated. Realising that brother Gotabhaya was on his way for the NSC meeting Mahinda got worried and shouted at security personnel to check whether he was safe. When inquiries revealed that Gotabhaya’s convoy had been targetted Mahinda became frantically anxious. He spoke to Gotabhaya’s security men and ordered them to bring his brother to him immediately.
Upon seeing that Gotabhaya was safe Mahinda was visibly relieved. Afer hugs and kisses were over Mahinda asked his brother about the experience. Gotabhaya had replied that he was not shocked as he had been a military man for years and had seen much action.The younger brother told Mahinda that he had wanted to remain inside his BMW for some more time as he suspected a killer squad may be waiting to mop up. But his security men had pulled him out too soon by breaking the door open.
Mahinda however advised Gotabhaya to go to a hospital and the sibling obliged by going to the Military hospital with another brother Basil Rajapakse. He was found to be all right apart from a slight grazing of temple and eyebrow by glass splinters. Doctors advised Gotabhaya to take rest. This was immediately adhered to.
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