On August 14, 2006, a convoy carrying the PakistaniHigh Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Bashir Wali Mohamed, was attacked by a Claymore antipersonnel mine concealed within an auto rickshaw. The High Commissioner escaped unhurt, but seven people (including four Army commandoes) were killed and a further seventeen injured in the blast.[1]
No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Sri Lankan government blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). High Commissioner Mohamed claimed that India had carried it out,[2] in order to intimidate Pakistan, which is one of the main suppliers of military equipment to the Sri Lankan government.[2] Pakistan had promised one shipload of the wherewithal every 10 days in coming months.
A Sri Lankan military spokesman said, "Definitely it's an LTTE attack to the Pakistan ambassador's car but they missed and the backup vehicle got caught." The Pakistani ambassador may be a target of the LTTE because Pakistan is a major backer of the Sri Lankan government.[3]
Several LTTE suspects were arrested following the attack.[4]
