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| தொடுப்புக்கள் |
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| How Gotabhaya Rajapakse escaped death - D.B.S. Jeyaraj |
| Saturday, December 2, 2006 |
December 1st, 2006
Gotabhaya Rajapakse is indeed a very, lucky man. The circumstances of his escaping unhurt indicate it was truly a miracle which saved the Defence, Public Safety, Law and Order Ministry Secretary and younger brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Rajapakse was on his way to “Temple Trees” for the National Security Council meeting. President Rajapakse had returned from India the previous day.
The nine - vehicle motorcade was going along the Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatte towards Galle road.The convoy had to cross Sir James Peiris Mawatte at the junction known as “Pithala Handiya”.
The traffic was stopped by Special Forces personnel in charge of Rajapakse’s security for the motorcade to pass when a red three - wheeler bearing the number WP - GH 0617 tried to cut in and ram into the motorcade. The male auto - rickshaw driver found it difficult to get close because of the heavy traffic.
The assassin then manouevred himself between two civilian vehicles and moved in. The escort defender jeep in front of Rajapakse’s bullet - proof BMW vehicle collided with the three - wheeler when the explosion occurred. It is not known whether the explosion was triggered off by the impact of the collision with the jeep or whether the assassin detonated the bomb deliberately.
The explosion hit the Special Force outrider riding abreast of Rajapakse’s vehicle on a pilot trailer motor cycle. The bike was thrown more than 20 metres.
Both the motor cyclist Lance cpl Wijeratne of Kurunegala and the Jeep driver Lance cpl. Piyasiri of Galle were killed along with the suicide bomber.
The defender Jeep and motor cycle bearing the brunt of the explosion was a Godsend to Gotabhaya’s BMW vehicle. The full force of the explosion was minimised to some extent.
The bonnet, headlights, tyres and windscreen of Rajapakse’s vehicle were damaged by the blast. The driver too sustained minor injuries. But both Rajapakse and his personal bodyguard seated in the front seat were unhurt.
Rajapakse seated in the left side of the vehicle’s backseat was thrown to the right side due to the explosion’s impact. He was apparently dazed and lying still on the back seat.
Some glass splinters had grazed Rajapakse slightly. His right eyebrow was cut.A few, tiny drops of blood were seen on his shirtsleeves and collar.
The defence secretary’s Personal Security officer HD Kapuhena saw his boss’s situation and jumped over the seat to the rear. Kapuhena put his body armour over Rajapakse’s torso and a gas mask over his head.
The explosion’s impact had caused the vehicle doors to be jammed. Kapuhena was shouting out that the doors should be opened when other security men in the convoy rushed to the BMW.
A crowbar was brought and the doors broken open. Kapuhena with his arms around Rajapakse took him to another jeep and put him in. The defender then sped off towards Galle road. From there it went along Galle road towards “Temple Trees”.
Kapuhena and other security personnel fired shots rapidly in the air as the vehicle proceeded to clear the way quickly. This in turn terrified ordinary people in Kollupitiya who thought a gun battle was on between the security forces and tigers in Colombo. Several parents rushed to schools and took their children home.
Meanwhile an agitated Mahinda Rajapakse shouted over the telephone to security officers that Gotabhaya’s safety had to be ensured.
A visibly upset Mahinda was relieved only after he saw Gotabhaya at “Temple Trees”. He embraced Gotabhaya tightly with moist eyes and remained speechless for more than a minute.
Mahinda recovered later to exclaim “They cant kill you. You cant be killed” in Sinhala.
Several VIP”s including Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana rushed to congratulate Gotabhaya on his miraculous escape.
The Defence secretary’s wife who was attending a Seva Vanitha Unit meeting at the Air Force headquarters was informed of the attack and rushed to her husband’s side.
Gotabhaya told a journalist that it was God who had saved him.He also issued a press release.
The defence secy then went to a hospital for a check up and went home. He was advised to rest and promptly went to sleep.
Ms. Rajapakse told callers that her husband was sleeping and could not be disturbed.
Meanwhile security officers cordoned off the area of explosion and stopped traffic till late into the night.
Fire fighters were called in to douse the flames engulfing some vehicles after the explosion.
Seventeen vehicles including two passenger buses were damaged. Eight of these underwent extensive damage. The damaged vehicles belonged to both security forces and civilians.
Eighteen persons were injured. Of these Thirteen were admitted to hospital. Eight were security men while five were civilians. Three of the injured were admitted to the Nawaloka Hospital and the others to Colombo National Hospital
Among injured civilians were Foreign Ministry Secretary HMGS Palihakkara and former Treasury secretary Charitha Ratwatte. The injuries were minor. They were travelling separately and were not part of Gotabhaya’s motorcade.
The severed head of the suicide killer was found in the back of a doublecab about 25 metres way from the explosion.
Several poojas have been organized to thank the almighty for the miraculous escape of Gotabhaya Rajapakse
Meanwhile the United States condemned the assassination bid and urged the LTTE to enter talks.”The attack bears all the hallmarks of an operation by the LTTE,” the US embassy in Colombo said in a statement.”We once again call on the LTTE to renounce terrorism, to give up violence and to join in negotiating a peaceful solution to Sri Lanka’s conflict,” it added.
Police also announced that the thre - wheeler’s registered owner had been traced. The owner was Anthony Bernard Christopher of Kadawatte.
Police also said that the mobile phone of the suicide bomber was now in Police custody.
The statements of more than 20 eyewitnesses at the explosion site have also been recorded.Twenty-seven year old bus driver I.S Weerasekera, who operates on the 112 Kotahena-Maharagama route, said his bus had been stopped at the traffic lights by the Special Forces to make way for the Defence Secretary’s convoy when he suddenly heard a big bang and saw flames.
“Suddenly I heard a huge blast and soon after saw clouds of smoke followed by blazes rising from under the mango tree. Then a bike in flames came hurling towards the bus. I ducked to avoid being hit, and the windscreen was shattered”, he added
It is also reported that Police have taken into custody around 15 Tamils in Colombo for questioning. |
posted by தமிழினி @ 9:11 PM  |
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