The deadliest LTTE vehicle bomb attacks. 

03 May 1986 - Explosion in Air Lanka Tri-Star Flight (City of Colombo) at the Colombo International Airport, 13 Foreign Nationals and 03 Sri Lankan civilians died due to the explosion. 40 passengers were injured. The type of explosive which had been introduced was identified as “Nitro glycerine” weighing around 10kg. The Aircraft was assessed as a write off and not economically repairable.

21 April 1987 - When the Pettah Central Bus Stand was crowded with office workers, a massive explosion occurred. An explosive laden car identified as a “Ford Escort” parked close to the People’s Bank Building near the Bus Stand exploded killing 113 persons and injuring 298 persons in the vicinity. Post Blast Investigations revealed the 09 Boxes of P-4 explosives weighing around 30kg had been concealed in the Car.

05 July 1987 - Explosion of a Lorry laden with explosive by the LTTE at Nelliady Army camp in Point Pedro killing 17 SF Personnel and injuring 31 soldiers. This was the first suicide operation by the LTTE cadre Wasanthan alias Captain Miller,taking a leaf out of the experience of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Hezbollah Guerillas of Lebanon. Type of explosives used had been TNT weighing around 50 kg.

09 November 1987 - Explosion of an explosive laden car in close proximity to Maradana Police killing 30 and injuring 106 civilians. The explosion destroyed about 29 vehicle sand wrecked 15 Private Establishments in the vicinity.

02 March 1991 - Explosion of a van in close proximity to the Police Field Force HQ in Havelock Road in CBO - 05 assassinated the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs & Deputy Minister of Defence, Gen. Ranjan Wijeratne. The area of Destruction was a radius of 60 meters. About 14 Buildings in the vicinity were also severely damaged. The explosion killed 25 persons and injured 70 persons.

21 June 1991 - Explosion at the MOD Operational HQ in Flower Road Colombo 07 creating a large crater about 10 feet x 8 feet x 4 feet killing 21 persons and injuring 129 persons. The LTTE had exploded a blue coloured ISUZU lorry affecting the entire vicinity.

31 January 1996 - An explosive laden lorry exploded opposite the Central Bank affecting the economy of Sri Lanka. It was assessed about 250 kg of TNT based explosives had been used making the death toll at 96 in number and injuring 1338. Most of the business establishments in the locality were completely affected and were out of business for at least for a period of one year.

15 October 1987 - An explosive laden lorry went in to the car park of the Galadari Hotel in Fort killing 13 and injuring 102 persons. This devastating explosion caused damages to the World Trade Center and several prominent hotels in the locality taking a toll on the economy of Sri Lanka. Around 250 kg high explosive shad bene used by the LTTE for this operation.

05 March 1996 - An explosive laden Nissan Civilian private coach was exploded by the LTTE, which was on its way to the Parliament approach road, when intercepted by the Beat PC opposite the Maradana Railway Station. This explosion resulted in killing 32 and injuring 252 others. Damaging around 60 buildings and vehicles in the locality. With Explosives identified as Composition B(TNT + C - 4) explosives had been used in this operation. Charges were packed on side panels of the motor coach.

25 January 1998 - An explosion laden lorry exploded opposite the most hallowed Buddhist Temple int he world, Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy killing 08 Devotees causing minimum casualties as it was in the early hours of the morning on a Sunday. The blast caused extensive damages to the sacrosanct Sri Dalada Maligawa.

16 October 2006 - a Sri Lanka Naval Convoy was subjected to a suicide explosion using an explosive laden lorry at Digampothana in Sigiriya killing 129 x SLN Personnel and injuring 116 others. Around 100kg of High explosives had been used in this operation.

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