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Was Pakistan's envoy the target or was it an accident?

B. Muralidhar Reddy

First time a diplomat has been targeted by the LTTE

COLOMBO: The diplomatic community here is agog with speculations following the charge by the Sri Lanka Government that Pakistan High Commissioner Bashir Wali Mohammad was the target of a LTTE claymore attack in the national capital on Monday that killed four soldiers and three civilians.

The killed soldiers were part of his back-up defender jeep and the Government said they died saving the envoy. However, the military in a report on its web site said the High Commissioner's security escort was just passing by when the terrorists blasted the explosive-laden three-wheeler that remained parked on a byroad near Liberty Roundabout.

"The Special Task Force (STF) chief was on record saying that the terrorists would have targeted an Army vehicle that was also moving along the road at that point of time," the military said indicating possibility of the envoy's convoy being an incidental target.

According to diplomatic circles going by the Government conviction, it is perhaps for the first time that a diplomat has been targeted by the LTTE. Mr. Bashir who is a political appointee of the Musharraf regime has completed his two-year tenure and is about to return to Pakistan. He is credited for enhancing Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations particularly in the defence field.

One view is that the LTTE could have targeted him to send out a message to Islamabad to keep away from the ethnic conflict and not help Colombo militarily.

An official statement said here that Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapakse, `highly considerate of the High Commissioner's embarrassment and excitement' following his escape in the explosion, tendered his apology on behalf of his Government and all Sri Lankans. It said both unanimously agreed the need to crush all forms of terrorism and stressed the importance of working on a common platform towards achieving those goals.

The statement said High Commissioner for India Nirupama Rao was also among the first few to contact the Pakistan High Commissioner after his escape. It said she has also reportedly expressed horror and revulsion.

In a statement, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack. "We strongly condemn it. We also regret the loss of precious lives. The attack was on our High Commissioner who is safe but whose car was damaged. Three members of his security team were injured," Pakistan Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said.

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