Terrorist Attack Targets Sri Lanka's Cricketers
Gunmen Ambush Sri Lankan National Cricket Team Touring Pakistan
Mar 3, 2009
March 3rd 2009 was indeed a tragic day for International Cricket.
This was the day that armed gunmen attacked the bus carrying the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team from their hotel to the Gaddaffi Stadium in the Pakistani city of Lahore.
Terrorists Target Sri Lankan Cricket Team
Haji Habibur Rehman, the recently appointed Capital City Police Chief of Lahore, told reporters that the terrorists' plan appeared to be to kill the Sri Lankan team - but that the police escorting the team came in the way and forced the attackers to run away.
Although none of the cricketers lost their lives, sadly at least five of these gallant policemen as well as the driver of an accompanying vehicle were killed by the attackers, who launched their attacks with grenades and rocket launchers.
"They appeared to be well-trained terrorists," CCPO Rehman told reporters, observing that about 12 gunmen were involved and that grenades and rocket launchers have been recovered from the site of the attack.
Second Test Match
The cricket team was on their way for the third day's play in the second Test match against Pakistan.
Star batsman Thilan Samaraweera (who had scored a double century in the Test match only the day before) and opening batsman Tharanga Paranavithana had to be taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries, while captain Mahela Jayawardene, vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara, Suranga Lokumal and assistant coach Englishman Paul Farbrace received minor injuries.
The attack was reminiscent of the1972 attack on the Israeli athletics team attending the Munich Olympics - when armed members of the Black September terrorist group entered the quarters of the Israeli team at the Olympic village, killed weightlifter Yossef Romano and coach Moshe Weinberg and took nine athletes hostage.
A hundred years ago, wars were fought by the simplistic technique of two armies facing each other and shooting at each other - with the army left with more uninjured soldiers standing at the end of the exercise being the winner of the conflict. Crude but effective - and it did not expose unarmed civilians to the terror of armed conflict.
Targeting the Enemy's Centre of Gravity
These days, the protagonists in what is referred to as Fourth Generation Warfare target the enemy's Centre of Gravity with the objective being to destroy the soul of their opponents - attacking the "ashes of their fathers and the temples of their gods" and aiming to destroy their morale, undermine their national will and shatter their confidence. The September 11 attacks on the heart of New York - or the recent attack on the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai are typical examples of this type of concept.
Who were these terrorists who ignored the rules of "civilized warfare" (if war could ever be termed civilized) and attacked a harmless party of visiting sportsmen from a neighbouring country to whom Pakistan had offered hospitality?
Who was Responsible?
Was it the work of the Taliban or Al Qaeda, with the intention of undermining the government of Pakistan? Was it another terrorist attack by the Tamil Tigers, who currently appear to be facing defeat in their armed conflict with the Sri Lankan government?
The answers are not yet clear.
But by their action in Lahore, the terrorists, whoever they were, have succeeded in signing the death warrant for international cricket in Pakistan.
It is certainly unlikely in the foreseeable future that any international team will ever want to tour this country again.
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