I know I have already written a few pieces about Sri Lanka and, more specifically, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) , but what do you expect in a daily blog entitled “Today in Terrorism“?
There is bound to be some repetition as there are only so many terrorist groups and so many underlying religious, ideological or political frameworks that define terrorism. Still, sorry for the familiar theme.
As it turns out, the LTTE was responsible for yet another attack on this day in 2006, although one that may challenge what we mean by terrorism. A suspected LTTE suicide bomber rammed a truck laden with explosives into a naval road convoy, killing at least 92 sailors and injuring another 150. A convoy of 15 buses had stopped at Digampathana village, near Habarana, and sailors had stepped out of the buses when the truck rammed into them: civilians at nearby shops were also caught in the explosion. The attack came just days after dozens of Sri Lankan government troops and rebels were killed and hundreds wounded in a battle.
“The sailors were in civilian clothes and were not carrying weapons because they were either going on leave or reporting back after vacations.”
Barbaric terrorist attack on unarmed soldiers
A Sri Lankan National Security spokesperson stated that “the sailors were in civilian clothes and were not carrying weapons because they were either going on leave or reporting back after vacations.” The government labelled the incident a “barbaric terrorist attack on unarmed soldiers”.
Note that statement: “the sailors were in civilian clothes and were not carrying weapons“. Does that make them civilians? Recall that many definitions of terrorism specify that the targets must be non-combatants: the killing of soldiers (or sailors) is often scene as an act of war. If the military members are on leave are they no longer members of the military?
Furthermore, does it matter that the actor responsible for the act was a member of a group that just about every country lists as a terrorist group? Is everything such a group does a terrorist act?
I do not know the answers to these questions. I tend to insist on the non-combatant status of targets but I am sure others will disagree with me.
What do you think?
